Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has opened up on what he says were personal attempts to stop the impeachment of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, disclosing that he held private night meetings to urge reconciliation with President William Ruto.
Kindiki, speaking on September 10, said he first heard rumours about plans to remove Gachagua and decided to travel to Nairobi to speak to him directly. He said he visited Gachagua's office at night alone to advise him to manage his differences with the president and remain patient about future political ambitions.
According to Kindiki, he told Gachagua that an opportunity to run for the presidency would come later and that his priority at the time should be to maintain a stable working relationship with Ruto. He said the advice was not well received and he left after a tense exchange.
Kindiki said he made a second approach when the impeachment motion appeared imminent, asking Gachagua to reach out to Ruto and to members of parliament to build support against the motion. He alleged that Gachagua instead asked him to consider leaving government together, a suggestion he said he rejected outright, stating that the administration was their project to protect.
Gachagua was impeached following a motion by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse. The National Assembly passed the motion on October 8, 2024, with 281 votes in favour and 44 against, before the Senate upheld five of the eleven charges on October 17, 2024. Kindiki was later nominated by Ruto as his replacement and approved unanimously by parliament.
Kindiki said the episode taught him to defend his position through dialogue and alliance-building, saying no one could easily push him out of office.
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