ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna has insisted that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua stands impeached and therefore cannot vie for any political office.
Speaking on Citizen TV, Sifuna stated that, according to the Constitution of Kenya, once one is impeached, they cannot be cleared to contest.
The senator noted that he does not understand why some people still mention the former DP’s name as a candidate in the 2027 presidential contest.
“Former DP Gachagua is impeached; he cannot run. I do not understand why people consider him a viable candidate. The constitution says once you are impeached, you cannot run,” the Nairobi Senator said.
Sifuna went on to state that the only value Gachagua brings to the opposition is taking away the votes that helped President William Ruto defeat his party leader, Raila Odinga, in the 2022 presidential election.
He added that, because of the former DP, he believes Raila stands the best chance of becoming president in 2027, should he vie and receive the same number of votes he garnered in 2022.
“The value proposition for Gachagua for me, from an ODM perspective, is that he is taking away votes that helped beat us in 2022. For as long as he is taking away votes from Ruto, I don’t care where he takes them; he is not giving William Ruto. I still believe ODM has the best chance. If Raila Odinga were to receive the same number of votes he garnered in 2022 in 2027 and William Ruto loses Mt. Kenya, Raila will be the President. That is how I see it.”
Sifuna’s remarks follow Gachagua’s assertion that he has the best chance of becoming Kenya’s sixth President, made during his tour of the United States.
He, however, said that if the united opposition, as agreed upon by the opposition to pick a candidate for 2027, does not favour him, he is also ready to shelve his ambition for someone who will be able to get Ruto out of office.
“I am a front runner and I think I have the best chances to be President, but I want to give you a commitment that if the formula does favour me to send Ruto home, I will sacrifice my ambition to support whoever the system favours,” Gachagua said.
In an interview on Tuesday, DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala stated that the former Deputy President is eligible to run for any office.
He said the matter regarding Gachagua’s impeachment is still being challenged in court.
He noted that if the court finds that the impeachment process was duly executed, then Gachagua will be barred from contesting.
“As it stands, Rigathi Gachagua qualifies to run for any office. Until he is proven guilty and has exhausted all appeal mechanisms, he still enjoys the rights, just like any other Kenyan, to vie for any office,” Malala said.
by BRIAN ORUTA
