Gachagua: Cabinet Secretaries with Court Cases Will be Fired if Convicted

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended the appointment of individuals with pending criminal cases to President Ruto’s Cabinet.

While acknowledging that some of the nominees have pending cases in court, Gachagua noted that none have been convicted and if that happens, they will be fired.

"In the unfortunate event that they are convicted, these CSs will lose their jobs...but we cannot say, that Mithika Linturi... a great man, a great mind be denied the chance to serve as the CS of Agriculture because the government at that time wanted to punish him for taking a stand," Gachagua said in an interview on Citizen TV on Sunday.

Gachagua argues that all public office holders can only be barred from holding public office if they are convicted and have exhausted all avenues of appeal.

The deputy president further claimed that a majority of politicians currently facing court cases were targeted by the previous administration for their political stance, adding that it would be unfair and against the Kenyan constitution to deny anyone the opportunity to serve Kenyans on the basis of fabricated charges.

"The presumption of innocence till proven guilty is a constitutional right... you cannot have some rights for certain people and you do not have for others because they are politicians," he added. 

Gachagua, who also has a pending case, pledged to appear in court whenever he is summoned, insisting that he is innocent.

"I have an active matter in court. Anytime I'm called to court, I will present myself, I will be there. I'm giving you this guarantee, that anytime I'm called in court, I will appear... I'm an innocent man, let me be there, let me be processed, let the witnesses come I ask questions, not just ministers, even the deputy president is ready to appear in court if I'm summoned," he added.