In yet another political divorce in Kenya, Gachagua has gone bare-knuckles on his boss, President William Ruto, accusing him of orchestrating his impeachment. Gachagua has also claimed that the impeachment motion against him was a culmination of persistent persecution and two failed assassination attempts.
In this week’s edition of Perspective, we explore the factors fueling the seemingly irreparably broken relationship between Ruto and Gachagua, and examine the potential options available to Gachagua moving forward.
The biennial summit, running from Monday, October 21, 2024, to Saturday, October 26, 2024, will address critical global issues such as climate change, economic cooperation, and sustainable development while also strengthening diplomatic ties among Commonwealth nations.
A host of world leaders, including President Kagame and Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla, have already arrived in Samoa for the high-level forum.
This is the first CHOGM to be held in a Pacific Small Island Developing State.
As Samoa takes the spotlight, here are key facts that showcase its unique culture, history, and tourism potential:
{{1. Location and Population}}
The Samoa Islands are located in the South Pacific, approximately 15,000 kilometers from Rwanda. The islands are positioned halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. The country has a population of about 220,000 people.
{{2. Twin Islands}}
Samoa is made up of two main islands, Upolu and Savai’i, along with several smaller islets. The more populous of the two, Upolu is home to the capital city of Apia and offers a mix of urban and rural experiences. In contrast, Savai’i is known for its rugged landscapes, volcanic peaks, and pristine beaches, making it a popular destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers.
{{3. Political Entities}}
The Samoa Islands consist of two political entities: the Independent State of Samoa (formerly Western Samoa) and American Samoa, a U.S. territory.
{{4. Independence}}
Samoa was a German colony from 1899 to 1914 and was then administered by New Zealand until achieving independence in 1962. This marked a significant milestone for Samoa, allowing the country to chart its own course.
{{5. Date Line Shift}}
In 2011, Samoa shifted its position across the International Date Line, skipping an entire day to better align with its primary trading partners, New Zealand and Australia. In doing this, the country essentially moved its clocks forward by 25 hours.
{{6. Deepest Ocean Trench}}
The Tonga Trench, the world’s deepest ocean trench, lies just north of Samoa. It reaches a depth of over 10,000 meters (33,000 feet), making it the deepest point in the ocean. This trench is crucial for scientific research, providing insights into the Earth’s geological processes and marine life.
{{7. Mataafa Island}}
Samoa’s Mataafa Island is a popular tourist destination known for its pristine beaches, snorkeling, and cultural experiences. The stunning white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters are ideal for swimming, snorkeling, and diving. Visitors can experience traditional Samoan culture, including village visits, fire-walking ceremonies, and kava ceremonies.
{{8. Traditional Tattooing (Tatau)}}
Samoa is famous for its traditional tattooing practice, known as “tatau,” which involves intricate patterns carved into the skin. The tattooing process is time-consuming and often takes multiple days to complete.
Tatau is more than just body art; it holds deep cultural significance, representing a person’s lineage, status, and personal journey.
{{9. Rugby Powerhouse}}
Samoa has consistently performed well in international rugby competitions, earning a reputation as a formidable team. In rugby sevens, Samoa has achieved notable success, including winning the World Rugby Sevens Series in 2009-2010 and competing regularly in the Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.
Samoan players are known for their physicality, speed, and flair, making the country a respected force in the sport.
{{10. Language Diversity}}
In Samoa, the Samoan language is divided into two primary dialects: High Samoan (T-Style) and Low Samoan (K-Style). Both dialects share a common linguistic foundation but differ in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.
High Samoan is typically used in formal settings such as religious ceremonies, speeches, or official texts, while Low Samoan is more common in everyday conversation. The choice between these dialects may also vary regionally, with some areas favouring one over the other based on cultural and contextual factors.
{{11. Polynesian Culture}}
Samoa is often referred to as the “cradle of Polynesia,” with a rich cultural heritage known as “fa’a Samoa” that emphasizes community, family, and respect for elders.
{{12. Religion}}
Samoa is a highly religious country, with over 98% of the population identifying as Christian. Attending church is a vital part of Samoan life.
{{13. Robert Louis Stevenson}}
The famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson spent his final years in Samoa. His residence, Villa Vailima, is now a museum and a major tourist attraction.
{{14. Fa’afafine Tradition}}
Samoa recognizes a third gender known as “fa’afafine,” a respected identity that blends both male and female traits, playing an important role in Samoan culture.
{{15. Currency}}
Samoa’s currency is the Samoan tālā (WST), while American Samoa uses the US dollar (USD).
{{16. Fale}}
Fales are traditional Samoan homes characterized by their open-sided structures and thatched roofs, creating a cool and airy living environment. Beyond being residences, fales also serve as important community gathering places where people come together to socialize, share stories, and perform traditional dances, fostering a strong sense of community and cultural heritage.
{{17. Kava Ceremony}}
Kava is a traditional drink made from the roots of the kava plant, which are chewed and mixed with water to produce a frothy beverage.
The kava ceremony holds great significance in Samoan culture, serving as a social and ceremonial event that welcomes guests, resolves disputes, and celebrates special occasions, reinforcing community bonds and cultural traditions.
{{18. Samoan Fruit Bat (National Animal)}}
The Samoan fruit bat, known locally as pe’a, is the national animal of Samoa and is classified as an endangered species. It plays a crucial role in the ecosystem by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds.
Culturally, the fruit bat holds significant importance in Samoan society, making its protection a priority for conservation efforts. The preservation of this species reflects the broader commitment to safeguarding the unique biodiversity of Samoa.
{{19. National Park of American Samoa}}
The National Park of American Samoa is the only U.S. national park located south of the equator. It features coral reefs, rainforests, and volcanic peaks, making it a popular destination for nature lovers.
{{20. Climate}}
Samoa enjoys a tropical climate, with warm temperatures year-round. The dry season runs from May to October, which is an ideal time for tourism. Cyclones can occur between November and April.
Samoa’s blend of natural beauty, rich culture, and modern conveniences makes it an exciting destination for CHOGM 2024 attendees and tourists alike. With its relaxed island lifestyle and deep-rooted traditions, Samoa promises to offer an unforgettable experience.
The Ministry of Environment said in a statement on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, that the funding was approved during the 40th Board Meeting of the GCF, held in South Korea.
The ministry affirmed that the Green City project, which is being implemented by the Rwanda Green Fund , will serve as a model for sustainable urbanization, showcasing climate-resilient, low-emission infrastructure development.
Dr. Valentine Uwamariya, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, said the project aims to address challenges emerging from the city’s rapid urbanization, with a focus on upgrading informal settlements through innovative, sustainable, and climate-resilient solutions. These solutions will help mitigate climate-related risks such as floods and landslides.
“This agreement underscores the strength of our partnership at a critical time when the effects of climate change are increasingly evident. These impacts not only threaten the country’s economy but also pose serious risks to the lives of our people. The Green City Kigali Project represents a proactive step towards creating a sustainable and resilient urban environment, aiming to mitigate these challenges and promote a better quality of life for all Rwandans,” said Dr. Uwamariya.
The GCF funding will support the Ngaruyinka Project, which forms part of a larger 600-hectare urban transformation plan. This initiative includes several key components, starting with green infrastructure investments aimed at developing resilient systems for stormwater management, ensuring water security, incorporating renewable energy, and enhancing waste management within Ngaruyinka Village.
Another essential element is capacity building and skill development, with the establishment of a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) center. This center will focus on nurturing green construction skills and fostering sustainable livelihoods.
Additionally, the project emphasizes the scaling-up and replication of best practices throughout Rwanda, achieved through training programs designed for professionals in green construction and urban development.
Henry Gonzalez, Chief Investment Officer of the Green Climate Fund, stated that the project not only introduces a new model for urban development in Rwanda but also has the potential to serve as a blueprint for other cities in Africa and globally, enabling them to plan resilient and sustainable urban growth in response to a changing climate.
“GCF will look to replicate this approach in other countries, drawing on the lessons from Kigali,” said Gonzalez.
The project will be implemented over the next five years, positioning Kigali as a model for sustainable, climate-resilient urban development in the region.
“The GCF board’s decision to support this project is a significant boost to our vision for sustainable urban development. By integrating green technologies and improving settlements in a challenging environment, this initiative complements the broader Green City Kigali program, addressing climate challenges and promoting long-term resilience,” said Teddy Mugabo, CEO of the Rwanda Green Fund.
GCF is a global initiative established to help developing countries combat climate change by funding projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting climate resilience. The fund was launched in 2010 as part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The funds will be made available to Rwanda upon the completion of an economic review by the IMF Executive Board in mid-December.
A team from the IMF concluded a two-week mission on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, to assess the country’s economic performance, praising its strong growth momentum despite external shocks.
The IMF team, led by Reuben Atoyan, stated that Rwanda’s real GDP is projected to grow by 8.3% in 2024. According to the IMF, this growth is driven by strong performances in the services and construction sectors, as well as a recovery in food crop production.
The team observed that despite external challenges, inflation remains under control, staying within the central bank’s target range of 2% to 8% due to favorable food prices and a tight monetary policy.
Atoyan highlighted that the 6.6% depreciation of the Rwandan Franc against the US dollar was a necessary measure for facilitating essential external adjustments, while international reserves stood at 4.5 months of prospective imports by mid-2024, providing a buffer against external shocks.
“Despite the challenging environment, macroeconomic policy performance through the end of June 2024 remained aligned with program objectives under the PCI/SCF arrangement. All quantitative targets were met, and reforms aimed at enhancing the transparency of public investments and strengthening foreign exchange market functioning are progressing well,” Atoyan stated.
The IMF representative emphasized the Rwandan government’s strong commitment to implementing climate-related reforms under the RSF arrangement, with measures for climate budget tagging, improving the climate resilience of public investments, adopting sustainability disclosure standards, and developing a green taxonomy on track for completion in the coming weeks.
The IMF team acknowledged that recurrent shocks in recent years have complicated the government’s goal of rebuilding policy buffers. Fiscal consolidation has progressed more slowly than anticipated, resulting in a continued increase in the public debt-to-GDP ratio.
However, the government has reiterated its commitment to fiscal prudence, focusing on concessional financing and advancing a medium-term revenue strategy to stabilize its fiscal position.
The decision was made by the second collegiate court of the National Supreme Court of Specialized Criminal Justice, making Toledo the first of four investigated former presidents to go to jail in Odebrecht case, one of the largest bribery and graft scandals in Latin America.
The 78-year-old former president was extradited from the United States in April last year to face charges for allegedly taking at least 20 million U.S. dollars in bribes from Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company, in exchange for a government contract to build the Interoceanic Highway linking Peru and Brazil.
During a hearing, Toledo insisted that he was “innocent,” saying that “I never made any arrangement with Mr. (Jorge) Barata,” former head of Odebrecht in Peru.
Gachagua, on Sunday, October 20, 2024, alleged that undercover security agents attempted to poison his food in two separate incidents in Kisumu and Nyeri counties in August and September of this year.
In a summons to Gachagua dated October 21, the DCI termed the allegations serious and directed him to appear before the detectives on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, to record a formal statement to enable investigations into the matter.
“These are serious allegations emanating from a person of your stature and cannot be taken lightly. In light of the seriousness of this matter, we kindly request your presence on October 22, 2024, at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters, Mazingira Complex-Kiambu Road, to formally record your statement to enable prompt and thorough investigations into the matter,” the summons read in part.
“We understand the sensitivity of the allegations and assure you that this matter will be handled with the seriousness it deserves. Your statement is a crucial component of our investigation.”
Gachagua had claimed that it was after the two failed assassination attempts that an impeachment plot was hatched against him.
“On August 30, undercover security agents entered my room in Kisumu, bugged it, and one of them tried to poison my food, but we were able to detect the scheme. I was supposed to be killed through food poisoning. On September 3 in Nyeri, another team from the National Intelligence Service came and tried to poison food that was meant for me and the Kikuyu Council of Elders,” Gachagua said.
The impeached Deputy President spoke after being discharged from Karen Hospital in Nairobi, where he had been hospitalized with chest pains as the Senate debated his impeachment motion last Thursday.
In yet another political divorce in Kenya, Gachagua accused President William Ruto of being vicious and orchestrating the impeachment against him.
He told the press that the Head of State had illegally ordered the withdrawal of his security and staff despite the High Court suspending the Senate’s resolutions to uphold his impeachment by the National Assembly.
“I don’t understand this level of viciousness toward a man who has been your deputy, a man who helped you become president. Irrespective of what he has done, at his lowest moment in life, when he is literally struggling to stay alive, you unleash such viciousness against him. I bear no grudges against anybody, but I had not seen this in President William Ruto. The man I am seeing now is not the one I thought I knew,” he said, citing constant persecution over the past year and a surprisingly rushed effort to remove him from office.
Gachagua said he doesn’t feel safe, and if anything happens to him, President Ruto should be held accountable.
“Do whatever you want, but please, Mr. President, I beg you, don’t kill us. Don’t kill my children. You have caused me enough pain over the past year. Please, leave me alone,” he added.
“I want the people of Kenya to know that as I go home today, I have no security. It is good that they know that if anything happens to me or my family, President Ruto must be held accountable.”
Gachagua was impeached over allegations of violating the constitution by undermining national unity through ethnic utterances and gross misconduct.
The bitter fallout between Gachagua and Ruto mirrors the current Head of State’s fallout with former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, when he served as Deputy President in the former Jubilee Party administration.
The purchase of the treasury bonds began on October 21 and will close on October 23, 2024.
Treasury bonds are a means used by the government to raise funds for national development activities.
Depending on the required funds, the government determines the value of the treasury bonds issued, which are also seen as investment opportunities for individuals looking to save for the long term.
When a person purchases treasury bonds, they are effectively lending money to the government, receiving interest. They will be reimbursed the amount they spent to buy the bonds when the maturity period ends.
The Rwandan government started the program to raise resources through treasury bonds in 2008.
In Rwanda, the main buyers of treasury bonds include financial institutions, insurance companies, and individual investors, who have increasingly participated in this market, especially after a major awareness campaign explaining their benefits that started in 2014.
The Rwandan government has also put significant effort into providing opportunities for treasury bondholders, as they can use them as collateral in banks to obtain loans that promote their development.
Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana revealed the findings during a press briefing in Kigali on Sunday, October 20, 2024, stating that the index case was a 27-year-old man who contracted the virus through contact with bats in a local cave.
Dr. Nsanzimana explained that extensive research, including genomic sequencing, epidemiological investigations, and environmental testing, pointed to a zoonotic origin, meaning the virus jumped from an animal to a human.
“The index case we presented today is a 27-year-old male,” he said, adding that the case shows a close evolutionary relationship to a strain observed during the 2014 outbreak in the region.
“Through our contact tracing, beginning from the hospital, we combined all five elements, which led us, with high precision, to determine that this was of zoonotic origin. This man had been exposed in a particular area of a cave with a specific species of bat that has been sequenced before in the region, confirming the link to the outbreak we are currently dealing with.”
The Marburg virus is a highly contagious disease that causes severe hemorrhagic fever. While outbreaks are rare, they often result in high mortality rates and present serious public health challenges.
According to the Ministry of Health, the outbreak in Rwanda was first identified after the index case was hospitalized at King Faisal Hospital, where he was treated in the intensive care unit. Healthcare workers attending to him soon exhibited symptoms, triggering an investigation into the source of the virus.
“Identifying the index case has been the result of several efforts. We are very happy to have reached this point because in many outbreaks, it is extremely difficult to do so,” the minister added.
With efforts continuing, the Ministry of Health remains focused on controlling the outbreak and ensuring that Rwanda is prepared for future health crises.
“We continue to expand our understanding of these dynamics within a One Health context. We will be providing more details about this index case and how we can prepare for preventing future outbreaks,” Dr. Nsanzimana emphasized.
Since the first-ever outbreak was declared in Rwanda on September 27, 2024, a total of 62 cases, 14 deaths, and 45 recoveries have been recorded. The fatality rate stands at 24%, significantly lower compared to the 88% observed in past outbreaks globally.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was present at the joint media briefing in Kigali, acknowledged Rwanda’s positive trend in managing the health emergency, as there have been no new cases or deaths in the past week.
The WHO chief highlighted that Rwanda was the first country in Africa to successfully intubate and later extubate patients suffering from the Marburg virus, a significant medical breakthrough.
He attributed the achievements to strategic measures and effective health interventions.
“We believe this is the first time patients with Marburg virus have been extubated in Africa. These patients would have died in previous outbreaks,” Dr. Tedros said, citing a recent incident where two patients successfully recovered.
“This reflects the work Rwanda has done over the years to strengthen the health system, to develop capacity in critical care and life support that can be deployed both in regular hospital care and emergencies,” he added.
Addressing journalists in Nairobi on Sunday, October 20, 2024, Gachagua alleged that undercover security agents attempted to poison his food in two separate incidents in August and September of this year.
“On August 30, undercover security agents entered my room in Kisumu, bugged it, and one of them tried to poison my food, but we were able to detect the scheme. I was supposed to be killed through food poisoning. On September 3 in Nyeri, another team from the National Intelligence Service came and tried to poison food that was meant for me and the Kikuyu Council of Elders,” Gachagua said.
He claimed that it was after the two failed assassination attempts that an impeachment motion was tabled against him on October 1, 2024.
Gachagua spoke after being discharged from Karen Hospital in Nairobi, where he had been hospitalized with chest pains as the Senate debated his impeachment motion on Thursday.
He accused President William Ruto of illegally ordering the withdrawal of his security and staff despite the High Court suspending the Senate’s resolutions to uphold his impeachment by the National Assembly.
Without mincing his words, Gachagua accused the Head of State of being vicious and treating him like an animal while he was still hospitalized and at risk of suffering a stroke due to stress related to the plot to remove him from office.
“I don’t understand this level of viciousness toward a man who has been your deputy, a man who helped you become president. Irrespective of what he has done, at his lowest moment in life, when he is literally struggling to stay alive, you unleash such viciousness against him. I bear no grudges against anybody, but I had not seen this in President William Ruto. The man I am seeing now is not the one I thought I knew,” he said, citing constant persecution over the past year and a surprisingly rushed effort to remove him from office.
Gachagua said he doesn’t feel safe, and if anything happens to him, President Ruto should be held accountable.
“Do whatever you want, but please, Mr. President, I beg you, don’t kill us. Don’t kill my children. You have caused me enough pain over the past year. Please, leave me alone,” he added.
“I want the people of Kenya to know that as I go home today, I have no security. It is good that they know that if anything happens to me or my family, President Ruto must be held accountable.”
The besieged Deputy President noted that his troubles stemmed from challenging the punitive and unpopular tax measures and policies introduced by the Ruto regime.
“It’s the most unfortunate thing that has ever happened in this country. That you can be so vicious to a man who helped you become president, and his only crime is telling you the truth: don’t evict people without compensation; Mr. President, don’t overtax people—you are killing them, you are killing their businesses. Don’t force the housing program on people; if people don’t want these houses, don’t force them. My only problem with the president is being truthful, because nobody else can tell him,” he added.
He expressed confidence in the courts delivering justice for what he termed an unfair removal from office.
“The 11 counts are malicious and fictitious. It was a political game by the President to get rid of me,” Gachagua lamented.
Gachagua was impeached after Senators upheld five of the 11 charges brought against him.
Fifty-four senators voted to impeach Gachagua on the first count of gross violation of the Constitution, while 13 voted against his removal. The charges under this ground included accusations of dividing Kenyans along ethnic lines. The National Assembly cited several instances where Gachagua compared the government to a company, suggesting that certain regions held more “shares” than others.
In addition to engaging in divisive politics, Gachagua faced other accusations, including economic crimes, money laundering, insubordination, undermining the government and devolution, as well as bullying and intimidating state officers. However, the charges of economic crimes, money laundering, and bullying failed to gain sufficient support.
The Senate proceeded with the impeachment trial despite Gachagua’s lawyers arguing that the Deputy President could not appear in the House as he had been hospitalized.
Thereafter, President Ruto nominated Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to replace Gachagua as Deputy President. However, Kindiki’s nomination and approval by the National Assembly faced a setback after the High Court granted conservatory orders barring the minister from being sworn in, pending the mention of the matter on October 24, 2024.
The embassy will reopen its doors to the public starting Monday, October 21, 2024, for all services that had been suspended, including American citizen services and visa interviews.
“Starting Monday, October 21, 2024, the U.S. Embassy will reopen to the public for all in-person services, including assistance for American citizens and visa services and interviews,” the embassy said in a notice published on its official website.
The embassy had earlier stated that the decision to suspend all in-person services at its offices following the announcement of the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda on September 27, 2024, was made out of an abundance of caution as the government assessed the severity of the MVD outbreak.
During the period, embassy staff were authorized to work remotely.
The reopening of the embassy to the public comes after Rwanda’s Health Minister, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, termed the country’s progress in managing the Marburg virus outbreak as positive. He attributed the trend to heightened contact tracing and ongoing vaccination trials.
Speaking during a recent press conference, the minister said Rwanda hopes to report no new cases or deaths for several days. No new cases have been reported for about a week now.
“We believe that this ring vaccination [for the close contacts of confirmed cases] has played a big role. And also, we believe that the intensive work being done on the ground is helping to capture all the cases and their contacts,” Dr. Nsanzimana told members of the press on October 17, 2024.
“So briefly, I just wanted to share this good news that the trend is positive, and that we’re going to hopefully soon—or as soon as possible—have zero cases for several days and zero deaths for several days,” he said.
According to the minister, since the outbreak, all new confirmed cases have been within the hospital cluster in Kigali and their contacts, all of whom are under isolation and treatment. There is no evidence of community transmission in Rwanda.
Rwanda has so far confirmed 62 cases, 15 deaths, and 44 recoveries. Cumulative tests stand at more than 4,700.
The Marburg virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever, spreads from person to person through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected individuals. It can also be transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces or materials, such as bedding and clothing. This transmission can occur through broken skin or mucous membranes, such as those found in the eyes, nose, or mouth.
Preventive measures include avoiding contact with infected individuals, practicing good hygiene, wearing protective clothing when caring for someone infected or working in a high-risk environment, and avoiding contact with infected animals, especially fruit bats and non-human primates. Humans are also advised to avoid touching or consuming bushmeat.
