- Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka hosted former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during his mother’s memorial service.
- Onyonka claimed his late mother advised him to apologize to Gachagua.
- The senator said he regrets supporting the impeachment process against the former DP.
- He alleged that political pressure and party direction influenced MPs and senators during the vote.
- Opposition leaders attending the event hinted at early political plans ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Thursday joined several opposition leaders at the memorial service of Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka’s mother in an event that quickly attracted political attention.
Speaking during the gathering, Senator Onyonka publicly expressed regret over his role in the impeachment process that removed Gachagua from office.
According to the senator, his late mother advised him to seek forgiveness from the former Deputy President, insisting that Gachagua was a good man despite the political differences that emerged during the impeachment period.
Onyonka stated that at the time, lawmakers were under intense party pressure to support the motion. He claimed many leaders followed party direction without fully questioning the consequences of the move.
The Kisii senator further suggested that the impeachment was politically motivated and aimed at weakening Gachagua’s influence in national politics.
He admitted that after interacting more closely with the former Deputy President in opposition circles, he had changed his perception about him.
The event also brought together several opposition figures who appeared to signal growing political cooperation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua has in recent months intensified consultations with leaders from different regions as political alignments continue to shift across the country.
Onyonka’s remarks are likely to spark fresh debate in the political arena, especially among leaders who supported the impeachment motion and those now reconsidering their positions.
The former Deputy President has continued to maintain that his removal from office was driven by politics rather than constitutional grounds, a claim that has remained a subject of discussion in Kenya’s political landscape.
