Peter Kaluma calls for Gachagua’s arrest
Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Kaluma has called for the arrest of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Kaluma, in a statement shared via his official X account on the night of Tuesday, April 8, 2025, accused Gachagua of lying about the state to foreigners and playing politics with serious matters.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) lawmaker further argued that Gachagua can say all he wants about President William Ruto, but he cannot attack the sovereignty, international reputation, and stability of the Republic of Kenya as he has been doing.
“Gachagua is free 24 hours after lying against the state to foreigners! Some Kenyans play politics with very serious matters! Gachagua can say all he wants about President Ruto, but he cannot attack the sovereignty, international reputation, and stability of the Republic of Kenya as he has been recklessly doing,” Kaluma stated.
Kaluma on Gachagua’s outburst
He went ahead to call on relevant governance and security institutions to take action against Gachagua for what he termed as tainting Kenya’s international reputation through his continued outbursts.
Moreover, Kaluma claimed that the former Mathira MP is not above the law and that he is creating a bad precedent that will see individuals fail to draw the line between the president and the state.
He suggested that upon his arrest, Gachagua should be prosecuted for offences relating to undermining the Republic.
“The relevant governance and security institutions must strike a quick balance between the need to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Gachagua to say whatever he wants in his bitterness and the overriding public interest in a stable Kenya whose international reputation and standing are respected and preserved by all citizens, whatever be their petty grievances,” Kaluma stated.
“All are equal before the law. Gachagua is not above the law. The precedent the criminal justice system is setting with him by inaction is creating a very dangerous precedent where individuals wouldn’t draw a line between the president and the state! Arrest and prosecute citizen Gachagua with offences relating to undermining the Republic.”
Gachagua’s claims against Ruto
Kaluma’s remarks come a day after Gachagua appeared in a televised interview with one of the local TV stations in which he made several accusations against President Ruto.
Among the claims made by Gachagua was that Ruto is not fully in control of his government.
Speaking during a televised interview on Monday, April 7, 2025, Gachagua asserted that Ruto’s trusted aide Farouk Kibet and Head of Presidential Special Projects & Creative Economy Dennis Itumbi are the ones actually running the show.
Gachagua dismissed accusations that he was caught up in petty squabbles with junior government officials, saying the people he was accused of fighting were far from small players in the administration.
“He said I was fighting small men, but Farouk Kibet is not a small man. Farouk Kibet is the co-president. He runs the country. Everyone reports to him,” Gachagua stated during the interview.
According to the former deputy president, Ruto communicates to his cabinet secretaries through Kibet, and the ministers quake in their boots at the sight of him. He claimed Kibet even attempted to take over his office by managing his appointments and meetings. Gachagua said he initially believed that was how Ruto preferred things to be done until he discovered Kibet was allegedly demanding money from people who wanted to see him.
Gachagua said he confronted Ruto about the matter, making it clear that he would not take instructions from a personal assistant.
“I went and told Ruto that his personal assistant can not give me instructions. I told him if he wanted to give instructions, he should do it himself, and I would follow it to the letter, not his PA ordering me around. I told him he was taking advantage of his position to collect money from people to clear appointments, and I told him that I would fail if I did not advise him,” Gacahagua claimed.
