Drama ensued this morning as staff at the office of impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were barred from accessing their offices at Harambee Annex in Nairobi.
Police from the Rapid Deployment Unit are said to be manning the building and have prohibited members from the fourth estate from conducting any interviews and taking pictures.
According to a report by Citizen TV, employees who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that upon reporting to work in the morning, they were told to go back home till further notice.
This came after 108 staff were recently sent on compulsory leave dealing a big blow to the operations at his office.
"Following the ongoing constitutional process affecting his excellency the Deputy President it has been decided as follows: all officers in job groups T and U are hereby and instructed to proceed on compulsory leave with immediate effect," a notice issued by Principal Administrative Secretary Patrick Mwangi on Saturday and copied to Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service Felix Koskei read.
While appearing on Citizen TV's Daybreak Show, Belgut MP Nelson Koech poked holes at the sheer number of staff at the DP's office and particularly highlighted the huge number and different types of advisors that were at Gachagua's disposal.
"I was reading the notice sent by Mr. Patrick Mwangi and do you need advisors, for instance, of all sorts and kinds, a food advisor, political advisor? 108 is huge! The country is reeling from all sorts of unemplyoment and I don't think it was fair for Gachagua to have such a huge number of hangers' on."
On top of this, Gachagua’s security detail was withdrawn. The embattled Gachagua has come out to lament the treatment he has been accorded, laying all the blame on President Ruto.
"I don't understand this kind of viciousness towards a man who has been your deputy, who has helped you become president, irrespective of whatever he has done. At his lowest moment in life, when he is literally struggling to stay alive," he stated while making his first public appearance after being hospitalized at Karen Hospital.
After his impeachment, Gachagua was replaced by Interior Cabinet Secretary Professor Kithure Kindiki who was approved by the National Assembly last week.
Rigathi Gachagua moved to court as he attempts to salvage his political future and was handed a major reprieve when the High Court issued conservatory orders stopping newly-appointed DP Prof Kithure Kindiki's swearing in.
The Office of the Deputy President is one of the busiest offices in the country and this new development is set to raise questions on how things will move forward from now on.
