A major political showdown is brewing in Parliament as Uasin Gishu Women Representative Gladys Shollei becomes the latest high-profile figure to call for the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Speaking at a function in Uasin Gishu County on Monday, September 23, Shollei issued a stern warning to Gachagua, vowing to spearhead efforts to oust him from office.
“I’ll take you home myself. I am putting you, Rigathi Gachagua, on notice. You are going to be impeached, I can confirm that to you today, and I shall be in charge of that impeachment myself,” declared Shollei, who also serves as the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. She reaffirmed her commitment to protecting President William Ruto and his administration’s reputation, stating, “Here at home, they call me the Iron Lady. So I’m telling them, don’t worry, no one can touch Ruto when I am there.”
Her remarks are expected to intensify the existing tensions within the Kenya Kwanza government. Several of Ruto’s allies are reportedly ramping up pressure to see Gachagua removed from office, an effort that could spark further political conflict with the Mt. Kenya region. Gachagua, on Sunday, September 22, cautioned President Ruto against engaging in what he termed as betrayal politics within the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
Speaking at a church service at the Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa (PEFA) Church in Thika Town, Kiambu County, the Deputy President warned that alienating Mt. Kenya leaders would have irreversible consequences for Ruto’s political standing in the region. “Our people hate betrayal, and they are very unforgiving if you betray them. I ask my brother not to be tempted to go in that direction because these people will be very unforgiving,” Gachagua emphasized.
In response to the growing tensions, Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale criticized the push for Gachagua’s ouster, pointing out that any impeachment motion must originate from the National Assembly. Meanwhile, the standoff between Ruto’s allies and Gachagua’s supporters continues to widen the rift between the Deputy President and the President, with their relationship seemingly on the verge of breaking down.
