Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has called on his predecessor, Kithure Kindiki, to continue the fight against illicit alcohol in Mt Kenya.
Gachagua spoke for the first time on Saturday, November 2, after his replacement was sworn in.
Addressing mourners at a funeral ceremony in Kirinyaga, Gachagua expressed concern that his efforts to tackle the increase in alcohol and substance abuse could be jeopardised by his ejection from power, asking Kindiki to pick from where he left off.
"We are asking those who have replaced us that the work I did for two years fighting with alcohol, saving our young people, please, even if you don't want me, let the work continue to help our children. Our young people had been lost in substance abuse, and we did a lot to bring them back on track. I see they have started to abuse alcohol again. This morning, people told me that since my woes started, alcohol abuse started again," he said.
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The former deputy president implied that the fight against drugs could be sabotaged so that his two-year tenure is painted in a bad light.
"Don't allow the culture to return so that I am seen like I never worked. Myself I don't use alcohol. It is not me you are hurting, but our children," he said.
Gachagua was impeached last month by parliament; he faced a host of charges ranging from corruption allegations to sabotage of President William Ruto's regime.
The courts lifted the conservatory orders he had secured to stop the process of replacing him.
Consequently, on Friday, November 1, Gachagua's replacement, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, was sworn in as the country's third deputy president, marking the end of his (Gachagua's) tenure in office.
Lawyer Miguna Miguna counselled the former deputy president not to tire in his pursuit of justice as regards his unceremonious ejection from office.
Miguna believes the former deputy president should not give up despite known eventualities.
The lawyer observed that with Gachagua now out of power, the state tends to come for him and place charges in his name.
He, therefore, should counter them in advance by challenging his removal office in the courts up to the apex one, irrespective of the outcome.
"Fight all the way to the Supreme Court. It doesn’t matter if they rule against you. Do it for the record. Also, do it to expose the emptiness of the charges because they are planning to arraign you in court in due course, and you must expose them in open court—from the compromised 3-judge-bench to the colonized Supreme Court," said Miguna.
Miguna further warned Gachagua that if he chose to keep calm, he might go into oblivion with the help of his former boss, President William Ruto.
He challenged the former deputy president to remain steadfast and help in the quest for good governance and end maladministration by the regime he served under for two years.
