Mounting criticism against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has reached a fever pitch, with accusations that he was deeply involved in the controversial Finance Bill 2024 before it reached the Cabinet.
The revelation has intensified the fallout, as Gachagua's role becomes a focal point in the escalating political crisis. Deputy President Gachagua's isolation in the aftermath of the Finance Bill disaster has been stark.
The backlash against him has been further fuelled by his insensitive comments regarding the deaths resulting from the anti-finance bill protests, claiming they were "available."
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria and Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah have both pointed fingers at Gachagua, asserting that he reviewed the contentious proposals even before President William Ruto had a chance to see them. Their accusations paint Gachagua not as a victim, but as a key player in the bill’s progression.
President Ruto has borne the brunt of the public's ire, with protestors demanding his resignation. However, in a fiery interview with Inooro TV, Ichung’wah did not hold back in criticising Gachagua. The Deputy President, who has thus far escaped the full wrath of the protests, now finds himself squarely in the crosshairs.
“DP Gachagua is in government, he chairs the Cabinet sub-committees, so he is the one that chaired the first meeting that considered the 2024 Finance Bill,” Ichung’wah declared, leaving no room for ambiguity about Gachagua’s involvement.
Moses Kuria, taking to social media, lambasted Gachagua for his leadership role in various critical government councils and committees, including the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC)
“He is in the National Security Council yet complains about the Director of the National Intelligence Service. It was enough to have a President who is a teetotaller,” Kuria added, indicating the level of dysfunction he perceives within the government.
As protests continue to rage, Kimani Ichung’wah, once a staunch supporter of the Finance Bill, has shifted his tone dramatically. Facing immense pressure from his constituency, he admitted, “Us as a government have failed to communicate with our children and their parents, farmers and the people whom we lead about the things we are doing for them.”
He however remained defiant over accusation that Parliament is subservient to the Executive. Ichung'wah pushed back, "If leaders were not listening, this Bill would have gone through with the taxes on bread. It would have gone through with the taxes on vehicles. But since we heard the calls of Kenyans like we always do and removed those sections of the bill.
The internal rift within President William Ruto’s party has widened, with leaders and politicians openly expressing their discontent with Gachagua’s recent criticisms of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Noordin Haji.
Gachagua has accused Haji of failing to provide crucial insights on public sentiment, particularly regarding the Finance Bill.
The fallout from the Finance Bill 2024 continues to roil Kenya’s political scene, with Deputy President Gachagua at the center of the storm. As the rift within the ruling party deepens, the future remains uncertain for both the Gachagua and Ruto amid plans to recall MPs who voted in favour of the Finance Bill.
