COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has joined the debate on the possible impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, calling for a re-evaluation of the role of the deputy president within the government.
Atwoli reiterated his previous stance that the position should be an appointment by the president, rather than a running mate, to avoid the current tensions.
“The deputy president should be an appointee of the president, because once he becomes a running mate he feels he is also a president,” he said.
“A deputy president should not be heard unless he has been told so. We can’t have two presidents at a time,” he noted.
He argued that the current structure creates a perception of shared authority, leading to a sense of entitlement where the officeholders may feel equal to the president, a situation he believes should be addressed.
“The Deputy President is on campaign mode misleading and misguiding the nation. You cannot be contradicting government policies and your own president,” he said.
On Sunday the Deputy President urged President William Ruto to honor his promise of not allowing his deputy to be “humiliated,” referring to the looming impeachment motion against him. Gachagua revealed that he is already seeking new political alliances, hinting at an exit strategy should his opponents follow through on their threats to impeach him.
On Monday September 23, Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana also filed a censure motion against him, a move that could deepen the country’s second-in-command troubles and further isolate him within the government.