NAIROBI, Kenya, May 12 – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has formally resigned from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, denouncing it as the “most dangerous political moment for the people and the Republic of Kenya.”
Gachagua accused the party of betraying its founding principles and accusing its leadership of pushing the country into economic ruin, institutional decay, and constitutional contempt.
In a strongly worded resignation letter addressed to the UDA Secretary General and copied to the party chairperson and the Registrar of Political Parties, Gachagua accused the party of abandoning its founding principles and squandering a historic opportunity to economically, socially, and politically transform the country.
“I have officially resigned from the UDA Party with immediate effect,” Gachagua declared. “The party has exhausted and wasted a Kenyan moment to take off economically, socially and politically.”
In his detailed critique, Gachagua who was impeached on October last year, cited multiple instances of what he termed as betrayal of the promises made to Kenyans under the Kenya Kwanza manifesto.
He revisited the coalition’s pledge for economic transformation through the Bottom-Up Economic model, describing its implementation as a sham.
The former DP questioned the efficacy of the Hustler Fund, calling it a tokenistic initiative that “cannot start any meaningful business,” and lamented that key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, housing, ICT, and education had become mired in mismanagement and corruption.
“Our coffee and tea farmers would live happily; we had promised the country an increased foreign exchange, job creation, lower cost of living and food security; through this we are being treated to no fertilizer for farmers, and grabbing of agricultural land by the powerful,” he lamented.
On healthcare, Gachagua accused the government of turning public health into a profit-driven model run by bureaucrats, far removed from the promised Universal Health Coverage.
The former DP further condemned the current administration’s handling of sports, climate change, education, women’s rights, and social protection, asserting that UDA had “left every Kenyan on their own and behind.”
Gachagua also accused the government of constitutional overreach, weakening devolution, and conducting foreign policy in a manner that has diminished Kenya’s international standing.
“We are now embroiled in conflicts and international shame with our friendly nations due to bad diplomacy,” he charged.
Gachagua’s resignation from the UDA party comes a few days following a Court of Appeal ruling that nullified the process that sought to oust him.
The Appellate court on Friday found that Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu acted unconstitutionally when she empaneled a three-judge bench to preside over Gachagua’s impeachment case.
This comes even as Gachagua prepares to will launch his political party in the course of this week.
During a roundtable media interview with Egesa FM, Gachagua said that his party will consist of different political leaders from different regions.
“I am launching a national party this week with its roots from Mount-Kenya,” the former DP said.
