A fresh wave of political drama is building in Nairobi as the Farmers Party, led by former Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu, prepares to stage a protest march aimed at reinstating Rigathi Gachagua as Kenya’s Deputy President.
The planned demonstration, set for Tuesday, will head towards the official Deputy President’s residence in the leafy Karen suburb. The party says its goal is to “reinstall” Gachagua, who was ousted last October following an impeachment motion in the Senate.
“This will be a peaceful procession to restore the will of the people,” the party stated in a letter to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, requesting security for the event.
The protest follows a ruling by the Court of Appeal last Friday that overturned a decision by Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu to appoint a three-judge bench to hear a petition contesting Gachagua’s removal. The appellate court said only the Chief Justice has the authority to make such an appointment, effectively throwing the impeachment process into legal limbo.
The court has now referred the matter to Chief Justice Martha Koome, leaving questions over the legality of Gachagua’s removal — and of his replacement by former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki.
‘Justice for the people’
Speaking at a church service in Juja on Sunday, Gachagua expressed optimism. “We have judges of integrity who will give justice not only to Rigathi Gachagua but to the people of Kenya,” he told congregants.
The Farmers Party, which last month broke away from President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza coalition, is framing its campaign as a stand for constitutional order.
“We are defending the sovereign will of Kenyans who elected Gachagua as Ruto’s running mate in 2022,” the party’s statement read.
But critics have been quick to question the motivations behind the protest, citing the party’s controversial leadership. Waititu, who heads the Farmers Party, was impeached in 2020 over a multimillion-shilling corruption scandal. He was later convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison, and is currently barred from holding public office until 2027.
Still, the party maintains it has the right to peaceful assembly. “We look forward to a peaceful procession with guaranteed security and calm for all those around the route,” it added.
Political cracks widen
The rift between Gachagua and Ruto burst into the open late last year, with insiders citing deep policy disagreements and growing mistrust. Gachagua’s impeachment on 18 October marked the climax of that fallout.
The appointment of Kindiki as Deputy President was widely seen as a strategic move by Ruto to stabilise his inner circle. But legal questions surrounding that transition have persisted.
Analysts say the court’s ruling could reopen political wounds — and potentially trigger a constitutional showdown.
“The Court of Appeal hasn’t ruled on whether Gachagua should be reinstated, but it has cast serious doubt on the process used to remove him,” said constitutional lawyer Njeri Mugo in an interview. “That’s a legal and political headache for the presidency.”
As protesters prepare to march in Karen, all eyes now turn to Chief Justice Koome, whose next move could reshape the country’s second-highest office — or deepen Kenya’s political divide.
