BY MOSES OGADA
Embattled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has denied wrongdoing in each of the 11 charges brought against him in the ongoing impeachment.
The DP took on his boss William Ruto, accusing him of plotting his downfall, and saying no evidence had been adduced to implicate him.
A defiant Gachagua, spoiling for a fight with those after him, charged he was being pushed out for refusing to play ball in ‘illegalities’.
In a blow-by-blow response, through a televised address on Monday night and before MPs on Tuesday, Gachagua denied he had built a vast empire within two years in office.
He denied owning Olive Garden Hotel, which was listed as among his properties, saying it belonged to his late brother Nderitu Gachagua’s estate.
The hotel was sold as per the instructions in his brother’s will. “It doesn’t belong to me and has never been my property,” he said.
The DP also denied owing Vipingo Beach Resort as it was still under his late brother’s estate, as well as Queens Gate Apartments.
“I am a director in the company by virtue of being an executor of my late brother’s estate,” he said.
The DP denied owning a helicopter landing facility, parcels of land cited in the motion, and a dairy farm in Nyandarua. Gachagua further sought to prove to MPs he was not tribal as claimed, arguing other parties in the Kenya Kwanza coalition negotiated for a share of the government.
This was even as MPs took a swipe at the country’s second in command to apologise over his utterances during the Monday night presser.
Tiaty MP William Kamket called on the DP to respect MPs, citing the remarks that irked members. Speaker Moses Wetang’ula also asked the DP to refrain from discussing matters before the House as it amounted to pre-empting debate.
The DP said being a former member of the House, he wouldn’t wish to disparage any member or the assembly itself.
Gachagua said there were no illegalities linked to the 22 companies Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse listed in his ouster motion.
The MP claimed the DP used the companies to massively launder money and conceal proceeds of crime, corruption and benefits of influence peddling.
“I have carefully gone through the motion and I have not seen any evidence to support or prove the allegations therein,” Gachagua said.
The DP further denied using his office to manufacture documents filed in court and in tenders – as alleged in the Kemsa matter.
On the latter, the DP said a firm associated with him – Crystal Kenya Ltd - was acting as the local agent of Indian firm Shobikaa Impex Private Limited.
“Shobikaa was invited by Kemsa to collect their bid bond and instructed Crystal Kenya Limited, their local agent, to collect the bid bond,” Gachagua said.
Ex-Kemsa boss Andrew Mulwa had claimed the DP coerced him to release the original bond at a time investigative agencies were on the case.
The DP denied calling the Kemsa boss or any procurement officer at the state agency to coerce them over the tender.
Gachagua also denied links to the company that renovated his Karen and Mombasa residences, saying he had no knowledge of the firm’s directors nor was he involved in procurement for the works. He denied acquiring Sh100 million through an events firm - Lusona Events Ltd - saying he did not participate in the tendering process.
The DP also denied knowledge of a rehabilitation firm, as the allegations he siphoned money through the entity were “false and unfounded”.
Deputy President said he had filed a complaint before the Judicial Service Commission on the conduct of Judge Esther Maina and had not threatened her as alleged.
Gachagua denied diverting materials meant for the construction of the Kilifi -Malindi highway to tarmac a private road to Vipingo Beach Resort linked to him. He said the road was upgraded because visiting King Charles III of England was to use it to access a marine conservancy in the area. “ The road to Kuruwitu Marine Conservancy was upgraded in respect of this visit,” Gachagua said, adding that the road benefi ted a school, a mosque and a market.
On undermining the Cabinet and the President, the DP said he asked the government to abide by the dictates of the law and to live by the campaign pledges that evictions would be humane. Gachagua said complaining about the Sh10,000 compensation to the evictees “in no way undermined the President.”
He also denied asking Nairobi traders to defy the county government, adding that he only asked the Johnson Sakaja administration to engage the traders. Regarding attacks on National Intelligence Service director general Noordin Haji, the DP said his utterances were mere criticism of the intelligence agency.
“Under the constitution, government agencies are supposed to be accountable to Kenyans, including the NIS, and calling them out when there is dereliction of duty doesn’t amount to undermining them,” he said.
Gachagua stated that his colleagues in government, including President Ruto, had equally called out state agencies that had shown lethargy. e DP denied conniving with cartels to block returns to small scale tea and coff ee farmers, and that he did not take over a local cooperative in Mathira.