National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has approved the impeachment process of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, saying the notice of motion meets all the requirements to be read on the house floor.
Speaking at the National Assembly on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, Wetang’ula stated that the motion notice was supported by more than the required 117 members of Parliament for consideration by the Speaker.
“I find that the proposed special motion by Hon. Eckomas Mutuse meets the requirement of Articles 145(1) and 150(1)(b) of the Constitution and Standing Order No. 64 and 65 with regard to form, threshold, and grounds necessary for a member to move a special motion for the removal from office by impeachment of the Deputy President,” Wetang’ula stated.
Adding: “Having determined that the special motion is admissible with respect to the motion of removal of a person from office, a member shall give notice of motion to the house within three sitting days following approval by the Speaker.”
In his statement, Kibwezi West MP Eckomas Mutuse remarked that this was a historical moment and that the total pages of the impeachment motion were close to 100 pages.
“A total of 291 members of this house have appended their signatures in support of this motion. This is an open and shut case,” Mutuse said.
Grounds for Gachagua’s impeachment
He outlined the 11 grounds for the proposed impeachment of the DP, which included gross violation of the constitution and allegedly making inflammatory remarks that threaten to discriminate against and exclude sections of Kenya from equal opportunities for public service appointments and resource allocations.
The other grounds are undermining the president’s directives, interfering with the smooth running of the Nairobi County government, and attacking Lady Justice Esther Maina, who had presided in a court case that allowed the freezing of Ksh200 million belonging to Gachagua.
Also, Mutuse said that Gachagua had amassed wealth to the tune of Ksh5 billion within the last two years of the Kenya-Kwanza administration.
Some of the properties the DP is accused of acquiring are the Outspan Hotel bought for Ksh535 million, the Treetops Hotel, the Olive Gardens Hotel, Queensgate Serviced Apartments, and Vipingo Beach Resort in Kilifi County, among other properties.
Mutuse also says that the DP had committed economic crimes using his office, threatened the National Intelligence Service (NIS) director General Noordin Haji, and the bullying of state and public officers.
