Mt. Kenya Leaders Who Could Replace Gachagua as Ruto’s Deputy President If Impeachment Motion Passes

Three close aides of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were questioned by police on Tuesday regarding recent protests led by youths and allegations of a plot to remove him from office. The aides provided statements to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Karen Police Station concerning claims of interfering with and funding protests that led President William Ruto to withdraw the 2024 Finance Bill and dissolve his Cabinet.

Originally, five staff members were scheduled for interviews, but this number was reduced to three after two were cleared. This questioning coincided with claims from Gachagua’s allies that some of President Ruto’s associates were conspiring to remove him from office.

President Ruto had earlier suggested that the “legitimate” protests by Gen Z against the proposed taxes had been taken over by “organized criminals.” On the same day Ruto withdrew the 2024 Finance Bill, Gachagua addressed the nation from Mombasa and accused the Director-General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), Noordin Haji, of trying to link him with the protests, along with former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

North Embakasi MP James Gakuya revealed on Kameme FM that a politician from Kiambu County is reportedly gathering signatures to initiate the removal process for Gachagua. Gakuya expressed concern over what he sees as Mt. Kenya’s tendency to undermine its own leaders, pointing to what he described as leaders from the region attacking Gachagua to appease backers with harmful intentions.

Several names have been suggested as potential replacements for Gachagua, including Cabinet Secretary nominees Alice Wahome and Kithure Kindiki, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, and Embu Governor Cecil Mbarire