Elisha Ongoya says Gachagua’s impeachment case stole his privacy
Advocate Elisha Ongoya has opened up about the personal toll of representing former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during his impeachment proceedings.
Speaking during a candid conversation on Engage Talk in an episode aired on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, Ongoya explained how he ended up representing Gachagua and how the high-profile case cost him his privacy.
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Ongoya recalled that the opportunity came unexpectedly, adding that he received a call from his friend who introduced him to the impeachment case.
After meeting and being briefed on the issue, he says, he was introduced to other members of the legal team, including Senior Counsel Paul Muite, and together, they discussed and crafted their case strategy.
“A friend of mine called me and told me there is a matter that is coming up, and I want you to help us, so I met him, and he introduced the matter to me and met other colleagues, including Senior Counsel Paul Muite, and we discussed the case strategy,” Ongoya disclosed.
“The case was the impeachment of my client, Rigathi Gachagua.”
According to Ongoya, Muite later informed him that he would lead the team in the Senate.
“Paul Muite told me you are going to lead our case in the Senate against the motion mover,” he added.
The legal team prepared extensively, and he eventually appeared before the Senate, where he led the cross-examination of the motion mover.
However, while the proceedings marked a major professional milestone, they also thrust him into the public spotlight in ways he had not anticipated.
“We prepared for the case, I appeared before the Senate, led the motion mover through the process called cross-examination, and just like that, I lost my privacy,” Ongoya revealed.
Viral moments
Following his appearance before the Senate, Ongoya says, he became the subject of widespread online attention.
The advocate further stated that young people began creating memes about him, while others synced his voice in viral clips circulating on social media platforms.
He further admitted that he felt insecure and unsafe.
“Young people began making memes about me all the time, and my voice being synced. People were syncing using my voice all the time; initially I felt very insecure and very unsafe. I do not know if I feel unsafe anymore, but over time I have become a bit chimbavious to those doings,” he added.
Additionally, Ongoya described the surreal experience of walking through the streets of Nairobi and hearing strangers shout his name.
“Something interesting has happened as a society. You walk into the streets of Nairobi, and people shout your name all over, and you keep wondering, Have I ever done that to any other person? Have I ever shouted the name of a stranger in these streets?” the advocate quipped.
