Kalonzo hinted at a low-key meeting held within the National Assembly where it was decided that a special sitting would be held on Friday.
Wiper Party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, on Tuesday, October 15 claimed a predetermined process in the impeachment process of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to the point he alleged that President William Ruto could name Gachagua’s replacement by Friday this week, October 18.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV, Kalonzo hinted at a low-key meeting held within the National Assembly where it was decided that a special sitting would be held on Friday.
According to the Vice President, this indicated that the process had a predetermined conclusion. Kalonzo also claimed that Senators who are set to handle the impeachment hearings on Wednesday and Thursday this week could be bribed to ensure that the second-in-command is completely ousted.
“The process is predetermined. Today, the House Business Committee of the National Assembly met and they decided to have a special sitting on Friday which means they have already prejudged what the Senate is going to do.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua accompanied the President on a three-day tour of Kisii and Nyamira Counties. /RIGATHI GACHAGUA
“You hear colossal sums of money circulating. If one Senator is difficult, his price tag goes up or something…some of course are independent and some will never be compromised, so is that the kind of country the framers of this Constitution had in mind? So now it is a country bedevilled with all manner of corruption at any level,” he revealed.
According to Kalonzo, it could be as soon as this Friday that President Ruto announces his nominee to the public before forwarding the name of the nominee to the National Assembly for determination before appointment, with the belief that the Head of State is avoiding a scenario of being publicly pictured together with his deputy during the Mashujaa Day celebrations.
“Unless we come up and say no because I’m telling you now, this matter unless the courts come and stop the whole process, Gachagua’s goose is cooked because on Friday, President Ruto is supposed to bring his nominee to the House and the nominee’s name would be read out by the Speaker, and the Constitution says under Article 149 that within 60 days, they should confirm that appointee.
“It looks to me like William Ruto does not want to face Heroes’ Day with Gachagua by his side or welcome him. It has gone to that level,” he added.
Kalonzo sustained his criticism towards the National Assembly, terming it unconstitutional and unfit to initiate impeachment proceedings against Gachagua. In his view, the Parliament had effectively been “impeached by the people” following the June 2024 anti-government protests, during which Gen Z demonstrators stormed the House.
According to the Wiper leader, the impeachment process against Gachagua was rushed, failing to adhere to adequate public participation, despite the gravity of removing a deputy president. He described the charges against Gachagua as “frivolous,” further stating that the DP had not been granted a fair opportunity to defend himself before the proceedings began.
“People will recall what happened on June 25 when Parliament was effectively impeached by the people. The same Parliament is now handling this serious matter,” Kalonzo remarked.
“They moved ahead with the process before giving Gachagua a chance to respond. What they claimed was public participation ended up being more of a referendum on President Ruto’s leadership.”
He also opined that President Ruto should have been the first to be impeached, long before the motion to remove his deputy was tabled in the National Assembly.
According to Kalonzo, the recently held public participation exercise on the impeachment motion against DP Gachagua proved that Kenyans are fed up with the entire Kenya Kwanza top administration, beginning with President Ruto himself.
“Before Gachagua was allowed to defend himself, they (Parliament) went out there and purported to do public participation, which turned out to be actually a referendum vote on the presidency of William Ruto, including his own deputy. Because Kenyans were out saying it loudly, that both of them should leave office; kufa driver, kufa makanga,” he said.
“In terms of public participation and perception, the clarion call was that if Gachagua has to be impeached, it should not be him [alone]. In fact, Kenyans are saying, on a balance of scale that William Ruto himself should actually have gone first to be impeached. That’s what Kenyans are saying.”
