The Farmers Party, led by former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, has announced plans to hold a peaceful demonstration on Tuesday aimed at “re-installing” Rigathi Gachagua as Kenya’s Deputy President. The planned protest will culminate at the official residence of the Deputy President in Karen, Nairobi.
The announcement comes in the wake of a significant legal development after the Court of Appeal overturned a decision by Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu to constitute a three-judge bench to hear a petition challenging Gachagua’s controversial impeachment in October 2024. The appellate court ruled that only the Chief Justice has the authority to form such a bench, casting doubt on the legality of Gachagua’s ouster and the subsequent appointment of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki as his successor.
In a letter to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, the Farmers Party requested security for the planned protest, emphasizing its peaceful nature and the party’s intention to uphold the rule of law. “We, the party and members of the public, will be holding a peaceful procession tomorrow to reinstall Rigathi Gachagua as the Deputy President-designate of the Republic of Kenya,” the statement read.
The party argues that Gachagua, who was elected alongside President William Ruto in the 2022 general elections, remains the legitimate holder of the office. The protest aims to defend what the party describes as “the sovereign will of the Kenyan people.”
Gachagua, for his part, remains confident in the justice system. Speaking during a church service in Juja, Kiambu County, he said, “We have judges of integrity who will give justice not only to Rigathi Gachagua but to the people of Kenya.”
The Farmers Party, which exited President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza coalition in April, cited political dishonesty and constitutional violations as reasons for the split. Its leader, Waititu, was impeached in 2020 over a Ksh.588 million graft case and is currently barred from seeking elective office for seven years.
As the legal and political drama unfolds, Tuesday’s demonstration is expected to test the stability of Ruto’s administration and could reignite political tensions within the ruling coalition.
