Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been impeached by the Senate.
Gachagua stood impeached after senators took a vote on the first charge, accusing him of undermining national unity.
According to the tally, 53 Senators voted in support of the motion against 13.
The Senate approved five grounds out of the 11 presented by Kibwezi Member of Parliament Mwengi Mutuse.
These were ground number 1,4,5,6 and 9.
“The Senate has resolved to remove from office the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua by a way of impeachment. Now henceforth the Deputy President ceases to hold office,” Kingi stated.
Earlier, on Thursday, October 17, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi ruled on the application by Deputy President (DP) Rigathi Gachagua‘s Lead counsel Paul Muite for trial hearing to be adjourned until Tuesday October 22.
Kingi stated that the Senate would not adjourn to allow DP Gachagua time to recover and present evidence in support of the motion.
The Speaker ruled that the impeachment trial would proceed despite the absence of DP Rigathi Gachagua, who fell ill and was admitted to the hospital.
This is after a motion to adjourn the sittings to Saturday, October 19, was rejected by the majority of Senators.
Muite Seeks More Time for DP Rigathi Gachagua
Senior Counsel Muite had informed the Senate that Gachagua was experiencing intense chest pains and that his doctor had advised complete bed rest.
“We are aware that this Senate made a decision to hear the charges in plenary so that we are proceeding under sub-article 6 (b) and this House is obligated to accord the deputy president an opportunity to be heard,” Muite said.
“I would suggest that Article 145 Sub-article 6 (b) doesn’t have a time limit of 10 days. Give the deputy president a couple of days given in the interest of justice and the weight of removing a DP.”
Senate Session Suspended
Earlier, on Thursday, October 17, the Senate trial of the DP was suspended after he fell ill and was hospitalized. Speaker Amason Kingi announced that the sitting would resume at 5 PM.
Confusion swept through the upper house when Gachagua went missing during the plenary session, prompting his legal team to abruptly cut short its defence.
They raised concerns with Speaker Kingi, requesting additional time to locate the absent deputy president.
Tension escalated as Speaker Kingi urged Gachagua’s legal team to present their key witness—Gachagua himself—who was scheduled to testify on Thursday afternoon.
“Honourable Speaker, we are waiting for the deputy president, and my colleagues can stand in for me, let me make enquiries where he is,” Senior Counsel Paul Muite pleaded with Speaker Kingi.
Impeachment Trial
On Wednesday evening, a dramatic showdown unfolded in the Senate during the impeachment trial following a day of submissions from various parties.
Advocate Elisha Ongoya challenged Mutuse to substantiate the claims in his motion, alleging that the DP had amassed a Ksh5.2 billion fortune since taking office as the country’s second-in-command.
Ongoya expressed disbelief at the figure, listed as one of the 11 grounds for Gachagua’s impeachment, and pressed Mutuse for clarifications.
He demanded that the MP, who is also a lawyer, explain how he and his team arrived at the Ksh5.2 billion valuation.
Mutuse was hard-pressed and, despite multiple attempts to evade the question, eventually admitted that the figure was derived by estimating current land values and adding the worth of properties linked to the DP.
Also Read: DP Rigathi Gachagua Hospitalized
Witnesses Against DP Gachagua
Former KEMSA CEO Dr Andrew Mulwa testified against Deputy President Gachagua in the National Assembly, presenting serious allegations regarding the awarding of a Ksh3.7 billion tender for malaria nets.
In his sworn affidavit, Mulwa claims that the Deputy President contacted him around July 11, 2023, directing him to hand over the original bid bond submitted by a company vying for the tender to one of his agents.
“For the record, I had never received a call from anyone above my Cabinet Secretary. This was the first time I received a call from a sitting Deputy President and requesting for documents that were under investigation,” he said in the Senate.
“In my 15 years of public service, I had never been asked to do that and, therefore, I felt coerced and leave the business that I had for the day, go to EACC, follow up the bid-bond so that I am able to retrieve it.”
A record 282 MPs, mostly from President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), voted to impeach Gachagua, against 44 who voted in his favour, with one abstention.
In the 67-member Senate, President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has the highest number of senators with 32, followed by Odinga’s ODM (20).
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee is third with five senators, while Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper has four senators, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) has three, and the Democratic Party (DP), Ford Kenya and National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA) have one each.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel for real-time news updates!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
