Tag: impeached

  • Gachagua Begs Ruto, MPs For Forgiveness Ahead Of Impeachment Hearing

    Gachagua Begs Ruto, MPs For Forgiveness Ahead Of Impeachment Hearing

    Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has publicly appealed for forgiveness from President William Ruto in his first response since an impeachment motion against him was tabled in the National Assembly

    Gachagua, who faces the possibility of being removed from office, urged his boss to set aside any grievances for the sake of peace in the country.

    “In the two years we’ve been working together, the journey has been challenging. In our zeal and commitment, it’s possible that I may have wronged you,” Gachagua said.

    “I want to ask my brother William Ruto to forgive me if my actions have caused any offense.”

    The impeachment motion, spearheaded by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, has placed Gachagua in a precarious position on the verge of exiting government.

    He also extended his plea for forgiveness to Parliament, in particular the 291 MPs who supported the impeachment motion, which cites nine grounds for his potential removal

    “I ask Parliament to forgive any remarks or actions of mine that may have caused offense,” Gachagua said, acknowledging the legislature’s pivotal role in the outcome of the impeachment process.

    In addition, the Deputy President sought forgiveness on behalf of his wife, Dorcas Rigathi, lamenting that she had been dragged into his political troubles, with her privacy compromised due to public and social media commentary.

    “If my wife, in her efforts to support the boy child and other programs, has offended anyone, I ask for forgiveness on her behalf,” he added.

    Gachagua’s appeal is seen as a bid to reconcile with both President William Ruto and Parliament as he fights to maintain his position in the government.

  • Here Is Exactly Why Kiambu Governor Waititu Was Impeached

    Here Is Exactly Why Kiambu Governor Waititu Was Impeached

    Embattled Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu was impeached late Thursday evening after 63 Members of the Kiambu County Assembly voted in favour of his removal motion tabled by Ndenderu MCA Solomon Kinuthia.

    The county lawmakers ousted the man over charges of conflict of interest for using his proxy companies to trade with the county and failure to comply with procurement regulations, he was further accused of abuse of office, gross violation of the Constitution, County Government Act, Public Procurement and Disposal Act, the Public Finance Management Act and finally gross misconduct.

    Conflict Of Interest

    The governor is currently facing a Sh588 million graft charge on irregular procurement of a tender awarded to a company in the county. Waititu and his wife allegedly received Sh51.2 million for the county awarding a tender worth Sh588 million irregularly to M/s Testimony Enterprises Ltd.

    On countless occasions, the house heard that the governor influenced the award of lucrative tenders to companies associated with immediate family and close relatives.

    MCA Gideon Gachara supported the removal motion citing payments to five companies linked to the governor’s family at the expense of other contractors.

    Abuse Of Office

    During the motion, Kinuthia said the governor has failed to account for county resources and therein caused unsustainable debts as well as pending bills of Sh4 billion. “These pending obligations were never disclosed in the county fiscal strategy paper 2018. The governor failed to implement the medium term debt management strategy for the financial year 2018-2019 placing the county in precarious financial position,” the MCA said.

    Using his power as governor, Waititu was accused of grabbing land in the county repeatedly including one belonging to Cecilia Njoki, a widow in Thika. “The matter was concluded by the ombudsman after its findings of fact implicate the governor in impeachable conduct,” Kinuthia said.

    The ward representatives further accused Waititu of disregarded the county assembly as an arm of the county government by diverting funds intended for use by the assembly to projects where he would obtain personal benefits

    The fate of the Kiambu Governor now entirely lies in the hands of the Senate.