Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale has criticized Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for abandoning President William Ruto.
The lawmaker observed that Gachagua opted to fly to Mombasa when Ruto was under sharp criticism in the heat of the anti-finance bill protests.
According to Khalwale, it was irrational for the deputy president to play populist politics when he was needed at the National Executive to help in decision-making.
The senator also laid blame on Speaker Moses Wetang'ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi for failing to counsel the president.
"When the finance bill came to parliament, I had questions for three people: the deputy president, Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi and the National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ulah. When things became chaotic in Nairobi, the deputy president hid in Mombasa, where he released a statement purporting to advise the president. Why did he rush to Mombasa? When he had advice, why didn't he give it to the president before the protesters erupted? He should stop pretending. He sits with the president and, therefore, should advise him in time," said Khalwale.
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Khalwale's onslaught on the deputy president came days after that of Public Service CS Moses Kuria.
Kuria slammed Gachagua after the latter called for the resignation of National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji.
In a statement via X on Thursday, June 27 wondered why DP Gachagua was complaining about Haji misadvising President Ruto yet he sits in the National Security Council.
“He is in the National Security Council yet complains about the Director of the National Intelligence Service. It was enough to have a President who is a teetotaller,” read the statement in part.
At the same time, Kuria told off Gachagua over his stance on the one-man-one-shilling revenue-sharing formula saying that the DP is the chair of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) which decides on money sharing with Counties.
Further, he questioned why Gachagua was complaining about the demolitions of houses in riparian land in Nairobi county.
“He is also the coordinator of Constitutional Commission and Independent Offices among them Commission for Revenue Allocation. He is the Chair of Nairobi Rivers Commission yet complains about demolitions done by his office,” Kuria added.
On Wednesday, Gachagua termed the NIS dysfunctional saying that the President was not given proper information on the anti-finance bill protests.
"Noordin Haji must take responsibility for the deaths that have occurred, the mayhem witnessed, and for failing Ruto, the government, and Kenya by not doing his job and advising correctly. He must not just take responsibility but resign from that office and allow the president to pick a competent DG" said Gachagua.
