Mourners heckle Kenya Kwanza MPs over Gachagua ouster

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika was forced to speak in her mother tongue in an attempt to calm the heckling mourners. [File, Standard]

Several Members of Parliament from the Kwanza coalition were on Friday heckled in Bahati Constituency, Nakuru County, over the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

The MPs who were attending the funeral service of the late Henry Gachie Mirithu, brother to the area MP Irene Njoki, faced the people's wrath over the impeachment.

The mourners protested when Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika attempted to read a message of condolence from President William Ruto.

They booed and jeered as the governor began reading the message, forcing Kihika to plead with them to allow her to complete the speech.

Speaking in her mother tongue, Kihika urged the mourners to be patient, saying she appreciated the crowd.

"We appreciate you because you always give us good feedback and inform us where we have gone wrong for us to rectify," said Kihika.

The crowd, however, continued heckling whenever the President's name was mentioned.

She was forced to calm them down, saying she understood the mood of the people and the anger.

"Please allow me to conclude the president's message to the family. Calm down and remain quiet." The governor pleaded.

The heckling started when Ndia MP George Macharia started highlighting road projects the government was carrying out across the country.

The MP, who chairs the National Assembly Transport and Infrastructure Committee, said Ruto's government has worked hard to ensure all roads across the country are maintained.

"All the roads that have stalled will be constructed and you will see development," said the legislator amid heckling, forcing him to end his speech.

Other leaders who attended the burial were MPs Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), Betty Maina (Murang'a), Ann wa Muratha (Kiambu), Kanini Kega (EALA MP), James Githua (Kabete) among others.

People interviewed after the funeral service said they were tired of the leaders they elected in the last General Election because they had misplaced priorities.

"Instead of the leaders we elected working towards delivering of the pre-election pledges, they are busy fighting each other over non-issues. We do not want to hear from them," said Margaret Njeri, a resident of Bahati.

Peter Kairo, another resident who attended the burial, said the impeachment of Gachagua was unnecessary and out of context.

"We are going to vote them out. All of them, including the president because they have failed us. We had a lot of hope in this government but has failed us." Kairo said.

The impeachment motion against the deputy president that is now in the Senate has elicited furious reactions from a section of Kenyans who feel that it is not a priority for Kenyans.

On Tuesday last week, the National Assembly approved the motion after 281 MPs voted to adopt an 11-charge impeachment motion with 44 MPs voting against and one abstaining.