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DP ouster: Week MPs put talk to rest and started process

Some 291 MPs signed the impeachment motion against DP Rigathi Gachagua

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by Allan Kisia

News05 October 2024 - 15:42
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In Summary


  • 54 legislators had a different view on the matter, opting not to sign the motion sponsored by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse.
  • Mutuse listed 11 grounds on which he wants Gachagua removed from office, including suspicious acquisition of Sh5.2 billion within just two years. 


After weeks of speculation, a motion to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was filed in Parliament on Tuesday.

Some 291 members of Parliament signed the impeachment motion, well beyond the 117 threshold. Drawn from the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition and Azimio la Umoja, the lawmakers united and signed the motion.

However, some 54 legislators had a different view on the matter, opting not to sign the motion sponsored by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse.

Mutuse listed 11 grounds on which he wants Gachagua removed from office, including suspicious acquisition of wealth estimated at Sh5.2 billion within just two years.

The MP also accused the DP of stirring ethnic hatred and undermining the government and insubordination to the President.

Gachagua has dismissed all the allegations levelled against him.

The National Assembly adjourned Wednesday morning sitting from 12pm to 2pm to discuss procedure on the public opinions on the impeachment motion to seal loopholes that could thwart Gachagua’s removal through courts.

The House later announced the public participation exercise on the impeachment motion will be conducted at the constituency level across 290 constituencies countrywide on Friday.

The House later extended the collection of views to Saturday.

Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge said the one-day extension came following a High Court order.

The exercise seeks to afford Kenyans an opportunity to make submissions at designated centres within the 290 constituencies.

“The public participation process additionally contemplates collection of views from the constituency centres,” National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula stated on Wednesday.

To facilitate public participation, the House adjourned on Thursday to allow the lawmakers to visit their constituents to spearhead the exercise.

“The public participation will be conducted countrywide, and the House will retreat tomorrow (Friday), where the legal counsels will explain the modalities,” Wetangula explained.

Gachagua had sought to stop the exercise, but the High Court declined to issue conservatory orders to that effect.

Justice Bahati Mwamuye, however, set the mention date on the matter for Wednesday next week and directed applicants to serve respondents with the court papers.

“The Application dated October 2, 2024 shall be mentioned on October 9, 2024 virtually to confirm compliance and to take directions on the expedited hearing and determination of the matter,” read the court papers.

Several other efforts to stop the impeachment attempt through the courts failed.

The impeachment has been seen as the culmination of major fallout between Gachagua and President William Ruto. 

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