Kenya Parliament debates motion to impeach Deputy President

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Kenyan Members of Parliament began debating the special motion to remove Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office on Tuesday, with the Speaker reprimanding the DP for “abhorrent” conduct.

The House formally opened debate on the motion tabled before it days after the end of public participation, convened by the MPs in their respective constituencies, to discuss the removal of the Deputy President.

However, the Deputy President convened a press conference at his official residence, where he retorted at calls for his immediate resignation from office.

Gachagua, said he was elected directly by some 7.2 million voters and was prepared to fight the impeachment motion to the bitter end in an apparent declaration of war with President William Ruto, who has remained tight-lipped on the issue.

The Speaker, Moses Wetangula, reprimanded Gachagua, saying his decision to hold a press conference to discuss the substance of the impeachment motion was an “abhorrent” conduct.

The House has laid out a Special Motion, which seeks approval for the removal from office by way of impeachment of the Deputy President.

The motion was vigorously debated in the Chamber and would be subjected to a vote after the Deputy President is allowed to present his personal defence of the 11 charges.

Gachagua is accused of undermining national unity and the delicate tribal balance by constantly referring to the need to protect the interests of his tribe from around the Mount Kenya region (Mlima). 

In his constant defence, Gachagua regularly advocates for the people around Mount Kenya, his vote-rich region, to be accorded better treatment in all areas of public appointment and allocation of national resources.

He is also accused of disclosing state secrets, including endangering national security, by disclosing the working environment within Kenya's national spy agency, the National Intelligence Service.

In his criticism, Gachagua, said the agency failed to provide adequate information to President Ruto on the seriousness of the Generation Z inspired protests, which breached the security of Parliament.

Gachagua said the spy agency and its directors had been subjected to uncalled for change of guard and that its current Director-General, Nourdine Hajji, lacked experience and was junior in rank when he took over management and was the reason for the under-performance of the spy body.

The comments were made shortly after the events of 25 June 2024, when the protesters, threatened national security.

Instead, Gachagua and his allies, were accused of backing the protests in a bid to remove the President from office.

During the press conference on Monday, Gachagua said all public officers and offices were not immune from criticism and that he exercised his right of freedom of speech and opinion.

On Tuesday, Deputy Speaker, Gladys Shollei, who had earlier stated that the House would impeach Gachagua by all means, defended herself. Shollei, said she made her remarks as an ordinary Member of Parliament, and that the remarks did not originate from her duty as the Deputy Speaker from the Chair.

She stated the Deputy President should be impeached for revealing official secrets and for failing to observe the principle of collective government responsibility.

The House is expected to take a vote on the motion after the completion of debate on the motion.

Gachagua has said the drafters of the Special Motion were reckless and had failed to examine material facts.

The Deputy President said the accusations against him lacked merit and were extremely exaggerated to win sympathy.

The Deputy President is also accused of crimes, including money laundering and other offences under international crimes.

The Deputy President, said he had not been involved in corruption and that all the property under his name were property owned by his late brothers, who appointed him as the Executor of their wills.

The other property he owned were acquired by his children, who acquired them using bank loans. He also said he made money in the past, trading.

MPs also said the Deputy President had failed to observe tenets of good governance by seperating himself from doing business with government.

At least 291 Members of Parliament had signed the impeachment motion against Gachagua. If the House obtains some 233 votes to support the motion, the issue would be forwarded to the Senate for the impeachment trial.

In his defence against accusations that Kenya was a company whose ownership was deleanated alongside shareholders rights, Gachagua disclosed the contents of the Kenya Kwanza (ruling coalition) power-sharing agreement.

In the power-sharing agreement, Ford Kenya and the Amani National Congress (ANC) parties led by Speaker Moses Wetangula and Chief Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, were to obtain 30% of all government appointments. 

The Speaker of the Senate, Amerson Kingi, was also assured of the post in exchange for his party's coastal voting block.

The tribal arithmetic was critical for Ruto to obtain votes in areas where his party had weak support.

Gachagua said his statement mirrored a factual statement and the reality of the administration.

-0- PANA AO/MA 8Oct2024