Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua made yet another public appearance in a church in Kahawa West on Sunday accompanied by his loyal allies.
The former deputy president praised the Judiciary for its recent ruling ordering the government to compensate victims of forceful evictions in various slums of Nairobi among them Mathare, Gwa Kairu, Mukuru Kwa Ruben, and Kiamaiko slums due to the threat of flooding.
Justice Ann Mogeni of the High Court, in her ruling on Monday, November 4, ordered that the residents displaced by the evictions be compensated by the government for the losses they incurred. The judge also ruled that the government was aware of these settlements but chose to forcibly evict the residents, describing the evictions as inhumane.
“I saw the courts ruled those people whose houses were demolished to be paid which means I was vindicated and won,” he stated.
Gachagua explained one of the charges leveled against him during his impeachment motion was that he opposed the government’s demolition of people’s houses without fair compensation which he pleaded guilty to during his trial.
“I was happy with the courts because they ruled the government to compensate victims of evictions and demolitions,” he averred.
Upon being tasked to spearhead the demolitions, Gachagua declined on account that it was not consistent with the promises he, together with President Ruto, had given to the people during the 2022 campaigns.
“President William Ruto and I told people that there will be no day their houses will be demolished without finding a place for them,” he said emphasising that there was no way he would renege on his words.
When they took over the government and Gachagua was asked to spearhead the operations of evictions, he said he would not be able because he was a person of justice and truthfulness.
“How would I go and lead the demolitions when I was the one who said we will not demolish their houses?” he wondered emphasizing it would amount to betrayal to the citizens of the country.
Gachagua urged his supporters to continue maintaining silence. “We are not fools, it is peace that we love. As a responsible leader, I would not want to speak utterances that would put our people in trouble. I want our people to stay in peace wherever they are,” he stated.
He further called on Gen Zs to obtain their Identification Cards (IDs) so that they can vote come 2027 general elections. Gachagua also shared he has gotten wiser and will exercise caution when choosing friends, especially in the political scene.
He asked congregants to support leaders who voted against his impeachment condemning those who supported his impeachment. “We were shocked that people can even sell their mother if the price is right,” he criticized.
