Kikuyu Member of Parliament (MP) Francis Kimani Ichung’wah has responded to claims of angling to replace outgoing Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki.
Last week, President William Ruto nominated Kindiki to succeed impeached Deputy President (DP) Rigathi Gachagua, before his swearing in was temporarily stopped by a Court order.
Addressing residents of Rabai in Kilifi County on Monday, Ichung’wah who doubles up as leader of the Minority in the National Assembly said he is not interested in replacing Kindiki at the interior ministry.
As Majority Leader, the vocal legislature said he still has a lot to accomplish for the benefit of Kenyans.
I have heard there are many things that have been said here, one of the politicians has suggested that I should become the Interior CS. But I want to say that I have a job and I don’t want people to get confused,” he stated.
He added, “I do not need the job of a minister, I have a job that I was given by Kikuyu constituents and these MPs also gave me a task in the National Assembly, I want to continue with this job so that we can bring development in Rabai and other parts of the country.”
Despite coming from Gachagua’s Mt. Kenya backyard, Ichung’wah was among MPs who vehemently supported his ouster from office.
According to the lawmaker, the former Mathira MP was not impeached by MPs and Senators because they hated him, adding that his ouster was occassioned by his character.
He said their love for the country was a major contributing factor in Gachagua’s removal from office.
“You saw I led the impeachment motion in the National Assembly, I want to commend all the MPs, we did not do that because we hate an individual, we did it because we love the people of Kenya.”
Gachagua is still in office by virtue of court order, which temporarily suspended his impeachment by the Senate.
Additionally, the order halted Kindiki’s appointment as Kenya’s third DP under the current constitution promulgated in 2010.
Ahead of the 2022 presidential contest, President William Ruto, then Deputy President nominated Gachagua as his running mate, though a bulk of Mt. Kenya politicians backed Kindiki.
