Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says he is not interested in the Sh50 million awarded by the court, insisting his appeal is about justice and protecting his political rights ahead of 2027.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed the Sh50 million awarded to him in his impeachment case, saying his legal fight is not about money but about clearing his name and defending his political rights.
Speaking during a joint media interview in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, after the opposition concluded its three-day tour of Western Kenya, Gachagua said the court ruling had raised questions because, in his view, the judges found fault with the process but still upheld the final decision.
The briefing, dubbed the “Mulembe Cousins Interview”, came after Gachagua and other opposition leaders toured parts of Western Kenya, including Vihiga, Kakamega, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia, in what they described as a mobilisation campaign ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua said he was not interested in the Sh50 million award, insisting that his main concern was justice.
“That case made everyone laugh because the judges said I was not given a fair hearing and that the process used violated the Constitution of Kenya. Then they said the decision followed the Constitution,” Gachagua said.
He added: “Giving me Sh50 million is not the issue. I do not need that money. I was fighting for my rights because I was removed from office unfairly because of my firm stand. I do not need the Sh50 million, even if it was Sh200 million or Sh300 million.”
The former Deputy President said he would not dwell much on the case because his legal team had already moved to the Court of Appeal, where he said he remains hopeful of getting justice.
“I do not want to speak too much about that case because we have taken it to the Court of Appeal, and it is our hope that we shall get justice,” he said.
Gachagua maintained that the ongoing legal process does not bar him from seeking elective office, including the presidency, should the opposition settle on him as its flagbearer.
He cited Article 99(3) of the Constitution, arguing that a person cannot be locked out of an election while still pursuing legal remedies through the courts.
“The case should continue slowly until the day it ends. The truth is that Article 99, Section 3 of the Constitution of Kenya says you cannot be stopped from contesting for any seat in the Republic of Kenya because you have been convicted or sentenced, if you have not exhausted your legal process in court,” he said.
Gachagua compared his situation to that of Sirisia MP John Waluke, saying Waluke was allowed to contest despite facing a long prison sentence at the time because his appeal process was still active.
“Waluke had been sentenced to 74 years and he was not stopped from contesting. He was in Kamiti and had even been shaved, but the Constitution of Kenya is good. It says if someone has a case at the Court of Appeal and you stop him from contesting, you will have denied him his rights,” Gachagua said.
He argued that if Waluke had been barred from contesting and was later cleared by the courts, his political rights would have been violated.
“That is why I still have room. If the case continues and has not been concluded by the time we go to the election, I will contest for the presidency if I am the one given the flag. If I am not given the flag, I will take another position in government. But I am confident that I will get justice,” he said.
The remarks come at a time when Gachagua is positioning himself as one of the key figures in the opposition’s 2027 political arithmetic following his fallout with President William Ruto’s administration.
During the Western Kenya tour, opposition leaders accused the government of using state machinery to intimidate political rivals and called on the region to unite ahead of the next election.
Gachagua’s comments in Kitale appeared aimed at reassuring his supporters that his legal battles would not derail his political ambitions as the opposition begins shaping its strategy for the 2027 contest.
Gachagua spoke as leaders under the United Alternative Government, among them Kalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiang’i and Eugene Wamalwa, maintained that they will eventually settle on one presidential candidate to face President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
Comments (0)