Senator Cheruiyot 'declares' October 17 holiday to celebrate Gachagua's impeachment

Political differences between William Ruto and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua continue to widen as the President’s allies now plan to set a day for humiliating Gachagua.

The Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot has declared that they are planning to hold a national celebration to commemorate Gachagua’s impeachment.

Gachagua was impeached on October 17, 2024. Cheruiyot announced that the national celebration will be held on October 17.

In the celebration, leaders and citizens allied to UDA party will gather in various parts of the country. sing and communicate messages explaining the reasons Gachagua was impeached.

During the event, they will also send messages on why people should avoid listening to the former DP. Cheruiyot who spoke at Nyabera Comprehensive School in Suba South Constituency during a fundraiser for a women empowerment programme, said the commemoration will demonstrate to Kenyans that Gachagua did not deserve to occupy the office of the second in command.

“I want to declare October 17 a day for commemorating the day Gachagua was kicked out of government,” Cheuruiyot said.

He argued that as much as Gen Zs were celebrating to commemorate their colleagues who were killed in June 2024, it was also important to remember why Gachagua was impeached.

The Kericho Senator accused Gachagua of perpetrating negative ethnicity in Kenya reiterating that the former DP used to promote politics of maginalisation, hence his impeachment should be considered an achievement in Kenya.

Cheruiyot said it is wrong for any leader to discriminate against any Kenyan based on their tribe and region.

“The idea of marginalising people because they come from a given tribe or region is unconstitutional in Kenya. Recently, I saw some Kenyans demonstrating to commemorate what happened on ....... I declare that we are going to commemorate an end to marginalisation on October 17,” said Cheruiyot.

He urged Kenyans to turn up and celebrate the “special” day.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa supported Cheruiyot, blaming the former DP of playing divisive politics.

He accused Gachagua of taking advantage of negative ethnicity to perpetrate hatred against President William Ruto in Central Kenya.

“Some people who sing one term in Mt Kenya do not do so because President Ruto betrayed them. The problem is only one man, Gachagua, who is perpetrating negative ethnicity in the region,” Ichung’wa said.

Ichung’wa argued that Gachagua is a man who thinks about his community only.

“Today, we are in Suba South but Gachagua does not know that this place exists in Kenya. If you ask him, he will tell you that Suba South is in those sides of Nyanza but he cannot locate it because of obsession with tribalism,” claimed Ichung’wa.

However, Gachagua’s supporters in Homa Bay criticised the move for commemorating the impeachment.

Evance Oloo, a supporter of Gachagua’s DCP party and resident of Suba South Constituency, read mischief in Cheruiyot’s declaration.

Oloo said the UDA government had always been against demonstrations hence the commemoration is meant for an ulterior motive.