Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua has said politicians with court cases hanging over their heads should not be barred from seeking elective posts until their charges have gone through the entire criminal justice system.
Gachagua was reacting to a story that was carried in one of the local dailies in which he is on the spot for eying an elective seat despite having pending court cases.
He warns that should Kenya pursue that route; rogue regimes would come up with trump up charges to bar leaders who they feel are not in support with their leadership style.
“Until you are convicted and have exhausted all avenues of appeal you have a right to seek any political seat provided under the constitution. If you look at all the high-profile cases that have been done by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, none have taken off. None because they were all political,” said Rigathi during a TV.
On Tuesday, one f the local dailies carried out a headline story where it listed 14 politicians said to be seeking elective positions despite facing various court cases.
Among those in the list include former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko who is seeking the Mombasa Gubernatorial seat despite being kicked out of office due to gross misconduct.
Another politician is vocal Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi who is fighting spirited court battles over claims of being in possession of bogus academic credentials.
But Gachagua while defending himself over the allegations claims his woes only came to the fore after he fell out with President Uhuru Kenyatta following the 2018 historic handshake with ODM leader Raila Odinga.
He further claims the anguish deepened further after he turned down overture calling him to abandon Deputy President William Ruto for the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition under Raila.
He said Kenya is a budding democracy where the voices of all should be heard without undue repression, a legacy he said was entrenched by the late (retired) President Mwai Kibaki after many years of political repression under the KANU regime.
“President (Mwai) Kibaki left us a beautiful country. He turned this country round and allowed democracy to thrive. Never did he use the criminal justice system to manipulate politics. I was called and told I must support the handshake and forget about Ruto. I said no. From then things started coming,” said the lawmaker.
This is not the first time Gachagua is attributing his political affiliation with Ruto for his many runs in with State agencies such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
In March this year, the MP said the Government was employing the use of State agencies to intimidate leaders allied to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) whose ticket Ruto intends to fly in his bid to succeed Uhuru.
He claimed those with similar charges but allied to Raila are given preferential treatment and even left to go scot free, a move he said was unhealthy for the country’s democracy.
“The use of the criminal justice system in Kenya to intimidate those rallying behind the Deputy President is happening. I have been threatened that if I don’t abandon Ruto I will find it difficult but I cannot be intimidated. Even to date the prosecution side has never given any evidence against me,” said Gachagua during the March 22 interview.
