How Rigathi Gachagua reorganized his chefs to ensure food security

At the time, talk of his impending impeachment was in the public domain, but it was downplayed by government insiders. Although this apparent scheme had heightened his vigilance as he felt he had powerful enemies within the government, a security breach would heighten his paranoia.

To regain his confidence in the meals prepared at the official residence, Gachagua had to reorganize his kitchen staff. He brought a chef who had worked for him to his private home in Karen. From then on, he was the only one who had to prepare meals for the vice president.

In the sudden changes, an officer tasked with overseeing operations in the DP’s kitchen was also transferred. The role of preparing food for the DP and his family was effectively left to this private employee. He made the meals – lunch or dinner – and then left. At first, the workers at the official residence were surprised by the sudden turn of events.

Even the officer responsible for managing the DP laundry was changed in the surprise reshuffle.

Mr. Gachagua, who was calm before these sudden changes, now paid more attention to managing his security. He took interest in the security detail deployed to protect him at his official and private homes in Karen and Mathira.

Those close to the DP say that from that moment on, his staff at home and in the office saw a different Gachagua than the one they were used to. According to several sources close to the vice president, a security breach that appeared to be isolated became the subject of intense scrutiny by his aides.

The source said Mr Gachagua had been advised to be more careful after it emerged that some state-appointed staff were leaking confidential details and documents about his office’s operations.

Sometime that July, one of the senior staff members close to Mr. Gachagua had posted some confidential documents on a WhatsApp group set up to raise funds for burial preparations. According to the source, at that time, the DP was planning to travel abroad and had obtained clearance.

Then suddenly all the details, including the DP’s travel documents and his security, were posted to the funeral group and then deleted. Some people close to the DP advised him to go to a trusted person.

“We don’t know if it was by accident or by design. This incident took us by surprise,” the former staffer said.

But even after these incidents that seemed to have made the DP raise its antenna, it is surprising that Gachagua and his aides were caught off guard on the night of August 30, when people believed to be agents of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) accessed his hotel. Kisumu’s room and contacted her to monitor their conversations.

In one of the press conferences held by the DP before his dismissal this month, Gachagua said three staff members close to him had been transferred, but did not reveal the reason.

On Sunday, Gachagua, who spoke as he left the Karen hospital where he was admitted after falling ill ahead of his testimony before the Senate, which later confirmed his impeachment on October 17, alleged attempts to poison- the He claimed there were two plots to assassinate him in Kisumu and Nyeri.

“On August 30, while I was in Kisumu, there was an assassination attempt on me after my food was poisoned. Happily, we found out soon enough. The second time was in Nyeri where I met with the Kikuyu Council of Elders,” he alleged.

Gachagua went on to reveal that while he was undergoing treatment at the Karen Hospital, his security had been withdrawn, which meant that his homes in Karen and Nyeri were no longer under state security surveillance.

Mr Gachagua, who claimed his life was in danger, said he had reported the incidents to NIS for investigation. Several sources familiar with the events surrounding Mr Gachagua told the Daily Nation that from July he changed his routine and became more cautious.

“Now he was interested in what he ate and wanted someone close to him to oversee the preparation of his food,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “I wasn’t paranoid, but I was careful.”

The Daily Nation, speaking to various sources, gathered details of how Mr Gachagua’s room at the Acacia Premier Hotel in Kisumu was raided on August 30 by state operatives, who secretly recorded a conversation between the DP and an MP from the Rift Valley. This deputy was considered his ally and had identified himself as his defender in the region. The second-term lawmaker had defended the DP when his impending impeachment was a topic of debate in the Rift Valley region in July.

The MP himself had campaigned in the last election against Dr Ruto and was lucky to have won the parliamentary seat, beating the candidate backed by the president.

He would spend hours with Mr. Gachagua in his presidential suite in the hotel. They had a long conversation that they thought was private, but as it turned out, someone else was listening.

A day before Mr. Gachagua arrived at the hotel, an advanced team of security and protocol officers had secured the hotel room.

The team, which usually travels ahead of the president and his deputy, had made all the arrangements, including a security assessment of the hotel where the VIP would spend the night.

The presidential suite was reserved for Mr. Gachagua, while other VIPs and security aides had rooms above and below the presidential suite. This arrangement was meant to ensure that the DP was well protected from all corners.

Hours before Mr Gachagua entered the room, a trusted security aide is said to have carried out a routine inspection. This aide sought an explanation from the advance team leader as to whether the room had been thoroughly checked prior to the VIP’s arrival. He was informed that all security procedures, including debugging, had been carried out.

Tonight, Gachagua and his confidant spent hours in conversation before the MP, who was also staying overnight at the same hotel, retired to his room for the night, according to informed sources.

This has become the night of Mr. Gachagua’s betrayal by men and women he trusted.

What Mr. Gachagua didn’t know was that some people outside that room were getting minute-by-minute, blow-by-blow updates on his deliberations. This taped conversation is now at the center of the row between the DP and his boss.