Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has alleged that financial inducements and threats were used in the lead-up to the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, adding fresh weight to a growing political controversy over the integrity of the process.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Thursday, July 30, Maanzo suggested that money circulated among political actors ahead of the vote, though he stopped short of providing specific details or naming individuals.
“Kuna kitu kilitembea... wale wanajua kile nasema wanajua ninamaanisha nini,” he said, implying that those familiar with the events would understand his remarks.
The senator claimed he was personally approached with an offer tied directly to how he would vote, describing the conditions as both coercive and dangerous.
According to Maanzo, he was warned of severe consequences regardless of how he acted after receiving the alleged payment.
“I was approached, and I was given a condition. I was told, if you take this money, you must vote Yes. If you take it and run away, you will not get to your house. If you take it and vote No, you will not get to your house,” he said.
Maanzo maintained that he rejected the offer and chose to vote against the motion despite the risks involved.
He framed the decision as a matter of principle, citing the seriousness of the threats.
The lawmaker declined to disclose the identities of those he accused of orchestrating the alleged scheme, citing fears for his personal safety.
“If they were threatening me with death that time, why would I name them? I can’t,” he stated.
When pressed on whether those involved were fellow legislators, Maanzo clarified that they were not members of Parliament, but individuals with long-standing involvement in political affairs.
“They are people in politics. They are people who’ve been around politics for a long time,” he said.
He also revealed that he did not report the alleged bribery attempt or threats to authorities, arguing that such risks are not uncommon in political life.
“In politics, your life is permanently threatened. It was conditional. It was not negotiable. It was very serious,” he added.
Maanzo’s claims add to similar allegations raised by other political figures in recent days, intensifying scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding Gachagua’s removal