NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 23 – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched fresh accusations against President William Ruto, alleging that he is orchestrating a plan to remove Chief Justice Martha Koome from office.
Speaking at a church service in Meru County on Sunday, Gachagua claimed that the alleged move is driven by Koome’s firm stance as head of the Judiciary and her refusal to bow to political pressure.
“Let us respect each other. The Meru people have been taken for granted for too long, and it must come to an end. As we speak, the President is planning to remove Chief Justice Martha Koome from office. He started by kicking me out of his government, and he also did the same to Mithika Linturi,” Gachagua said.
He accused Ruto’s administration of being uneasy with Koome’s leadership, arguing that the Judiciary is under attack because the Chief Justice refuses to be a “Yes Leader.”
“When you kicked me out of your government, the people from the Mountain remained silent, and you thought they were fearful. We dare you to continue with the plan of removing Justice Koome because she has refused to be a ‘Yes, sir’ person,” he warned.
Since his removal from office, Gachagua has become a vocal critic of the Ruto administration, frequently challenging government policies and decisions.
“If you chase our Martha Koome, don’t set foot in Meru. You chased Rigathi Gachagua, and the Mt. Kenya people were silent—you thought they were cowards,” he added.
Gachagua vowed to lead nationwide protests if the Chief Justice is ousted, insisting that he would not stand by and watch Ruto “destroy the leadership of Mt. Kenya.”
His remarks come amid ongoing legal battles involving the Judiciary. Last month, former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi filed a petition with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) seeking the removal of Chief Justice Koome and the entire Supreme Court bench, citing alleged misconduct and incompetence.
Additionally, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched investigations into graft allegations within the Judiciary. EACC Chairperson David Oginde confirmed that bribery claims against some judges are under review, following a request for a probe by Chief Justice Koome.
Gachagua, however, dismissed these developments as part of a broader political scheme and warned Ruto against attempting to oust the Chief Justice.
“In a fiery tone, the former second-in-command dared Ruto to orchestrate Koome’s removal, warning that he would never be welcome in Meru.”
