Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, a close ally of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has stirred controversy after claiming that Members of Parliament were bribed to vote in favor of Gachagua’s impeachment.
In an interview with K24 on Friday, Gakuya alleged that MPs were offered Ksh500,000 each to support the motion against the Deputy President.
According to Gakuya, “The majority got Ksh500,000. I don’t know if there was discrimination of different figures, but the one who told me what he was getting was Ksh500,000.”
He stated that 281 MPs were asked to remain behind after the day’s parliamentary proceedings for what appeared to be a coordinated payout.
However, when pressed to provide further evidence, such as the alleged text message asking MPs to stay behind or the identity of the individual behind the claims, Gakuya declined.
This has raised questions about the credibility of his accusations, though the MP remained firm in his assertion that bribery played a role in the high number of votes supporting Gachagua’s impeachment.
The impeachment motion, which rocked the nation, took place on October 8 and saw an unusually high attendance in Parliament.
A total of 281 MPs voted in favor of Gachagua’s removal, with only 44 opposing the motion. The issue now moves to the Senate, which is set to determine the Deputy President’s fate in the coming week.
Among the serious accusations against Gachagua was the claim that he had amassed Ksh5.2 billion in wealth through illicit means during the first two years of his term.
Gachagua denied these allegations, stating, “Most of the property being purported to be mine is actually my late brother’s, Nderitu Gachagua.” The defense, however, failed to sway the majority of MPs.
The impeachment also reignited long-standing concerns over Gachagua’s perceived tribal favoritism. Several MPs argued that his rhetoric had alienated other regions of the country outside his home base of Mount Kenya.
Despite attempts to sway public opinion through nationwide participation, the motion found significant backing, with 41% of Kenyans supporting it, while 38% opposed it. Interestingly, Gachagua’s stronghold in Mount Kenya recorded a 68% opposition to the impeachment.
By Newsmedia