Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has gently placed some responsibility on President William Ruto for his decision to choose Rigathi Gachagua as his deputy in the lead-up to the 2022 elections.
Speaking during DP Gachagua’s impeachment hearing on Thursday, Nyamu wondered why President Ruto opted for Gachagua, suggesting that he may not have fully considered his “political maturity” at the time.
She hinted that the President might have overlooked the long-term consequences of this decision, particularly regarding Gachagua’s divisive style of politics.
Nyamu encouraged future presidential candidates to carefully select running mates with a more “national” perspective to help avoid tribal or divisive politics.
“I think it’s important for future candidates to consider political maturity and a national outlook when picking a running mate. We do have to wonder what exactly the President saw when he made that choice,” she remarked.
She also called out the Deputy President for his controversial “shareholding” remarks, highlighting the potential harm they could cause, especially in Nairobi, where many different communities live together.
Nyamu referenced a recent incident where Gachagua addressed traders at Marikiti market in Kikuyu, pointing out how it might alienate other communities in such a diverse city.
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“I grew up in Eastlands, Nairobi, and back then, we didn’t even think about each other’s tribes. When I hear the Deputy President talk about allocating shares to certain groups, it feels like he’s excluding a large portion of Nairobians from service delivery—the same people we’re constantly fighting for here,” Nyamu said.
“And addressing a crowd in Kikuyu, assuming everyone there is from one community, is dangerous. We need to be more careful about that.”
Despite her concerns, Nyamu admitted that it was hard for her and others in the Kenya Kwanza coalition to support efforts to impeach the Deputy President. She reflected on their close relationship and shared struggles.
“None of us are happy with this impeachment process, especially those of us in government. We’ve been through a lot with him, fighting for this administration, and it’s tough to see things come to this point,” she concluded.
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