In a dramatic public callback to the one-year anniversary of the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua, veteran legislator Hon. Ngunjiri Wambugu is demanding that National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah come clean and provide a candid explanation of what really brought about Gachagua’s fall from grace.
Wambugu, in a post on X and remarks ahead of Ichung’wah’s television appearance on Inooro TV this evening (Sunday, 26 October 2025), stated that the country deserves to hear why a man who had stood by his colleagues — and campaigned for them — was suddenly seen as a liability.
“He was their friend. He had campaigned with and for them. He had suffered with them. He had become their boss. He was the highest ‘Mt Kenya politico’.
Then they just threw him out ‘just like that’. Even his own county-mates. What is this that he did that would make them turn on a ‘brother’ like that? And does he have any regrets that they did it?” — Hon. Ngunjiri Wambugu
As the clock ticks toward Ichung’wah’s scheduled slot on Inooro TV (7 pm-10 pm), the spotlight is on his expected response. Will he shed new light on the impeachment saga and lay bare the internal party dynamics that triggered it?
The impeachment milestone: what we know
On 17 October 2024, the Senate voted to remove Rigathi Gachagua from the office of Deputy President — making him the first to be removed via impeachment under Kenya’s 2010 Constitution. He was charged on eleven counts, and eventually five were upheld.
The grounds for the motion included alleged corruption, undermining the presidency and Cabinet, engaging in ethnically divisive politics, and abuse of office. Gachagua denied all the charges, labelling the process “political lynching.”
The impeachment, which was widely seen as a high-stakes political move, deepened rifts within the ruling coalition. Analysts warned that the move risked fracturing the unity of the party aligned to President William Ruto and could have profound implications ahead of the 2027 elections.
The questions Wambugu wants answered
Wambugu’s intervention raises pointed questions:
- Why did the allies of Gachagua turn so quickly against him — despite a long history of camaraderie, shared campaigning, and mutual support?
- Was the impeachment driven purely by misconduct, or were other motives at play — power shifts, betrayal, or strategic positioning for 2027?
- Does Gachagua himself accept any regret, or does he maintain that he was unfairly ousted?
- What role did Ichung’wah, as Majority Leader and a key Mt Kenya political figure, play — as observer, facilitator, or instigator — in the unfolding drama?
- What does this internecine clash say about the cohesion of the Mt Kenya bloc, and about politics within the broader Kenya Kwanza coalition?
By calling for Ichung’wah to give a “candid explanation,” Wambugu is suggesting that the public has been kept in the dark. He frames the upcoming appearance on Inooro TV as a moment of reckoning: “Now that the emotions have come down akituambia hiyo, we will be able to figure Gachagua out.”
Spotlight on Ichung’wah’s scheduled appearance
Ichung’wah is set to appear on Inooro TV this evening, offering him a rare opportunity to publicly address the impeachment war-zone of 2024 through the lens of 2025. Given his central role in Parliament and as a senior Mt Kenya political voice, his commentary is bound to be dissected.
The topics likely to dominate include:
- His take on the impeachment motion — was it justified from his vantage point?
- The internal strategy behind the motion — was it based on misconduct or deeper power realignments?
- Gachagua’s status today — political pariah, martyr, or still a key voice for the Mt Kenya base?
- Implications for the alliance with President Ruto’s bloc — was the impeachment a one-off purge or part of a broader reshaping ahead of 2027?
- A message to Mt Kenya constituents — what lessons should the region draw from the impeachment?
Wambugu clearly expects a level of transparency that has hitherto been missing. In his words, the region and the country deserve to “figure out” Gachagua’s role — past and present — with full knowledge of the political chessboard.
Why this matters to Mt Kenya and Kenya at large
The fall of Gachagua wasn’t just a political footnote — it was a seismic shift in Kenyan politics, particularly for the Mt Kenya power bloc. Here are some of the implications:
- Credibility and loyalty: Gachagua’s downfall has raised questions about loyalty within political alliances. If a once-trusted deputy can be impeached, what message does that send to other deputies, MPs, and regional leaders who backed him?
- Mt Kenya regional politics: Much of the discussion around the impeachment focused on alleged ethnic political posturing and internal Mt Kenya rivalries. Wambugu’s call for clarification signals that the regional power map may be shifting once again.
- Election 2027 positioning: With the 2027 presidential race on the horizon, realignments among the Mt Kenya base — and their relationship with Ruto’s coalition — matter deeply. Understanding why Gachagua was sidelined may reveal who the emerging king-makers are.
- Governance and accountability: Beyond politics, the impeachment raised governance questions about the use of power, accountability, and intra-party discipline. The public expects more than surface-level explanations.
- Crisis of unity within the ruling coalition: The motion was spearheaded by allies of the president, adding to speculation of a rift between Ruto and his former deputy. Tonight’s interview might cast fresh light on where the president’s camp now stands.
What to watch on Inooro TV tonight
For those monitoring this unfolding story, here are three key things to keep an eye on:
- Tone of Ichung’wah: Will he adopt a conciliatory tone — acknowledging fractures and urging unity — or will he defend the impeachment as a necessary step?
- Revelations or silence: Will Ichung’wah provide new information about the decision-making process behind the motion, or will he steer clear of direct answers?
- References to Gachagua’s role today: Will he speak of Gachagua as still relevant in Mt Kenya politics, or refer to his impeachment as having closed that chapter for good?
Final takeaway
One year on from the unprecedented impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua, the Mt Kenya political landscape remains unsettled. The questions raised by Hon. Ngunjiri Wambugu are neither trivial nor rhetorical — they touch on loyalty, power, and the shifting balance within Kenya’s ruling elite.
Tonight’s session on Inooro TV offers a moment of potential clarity — if Kimani Ichung’wah chooses openness over evasion. The Kenyan public, particularly those in the Mt Kenya region, will be watching not just for answers about the past, but for signals about what lies ahead in the two years leading to the 2027 general election.
As Wambugu aptly put it: “Akituambia hiyo, we will be able to figure Gachagua out.” And perhaps, in doing so, Kenyans will also better understand the forces that continue to shape the nation’s volatile political landscape.
