Nyali MP Mohammed Ali has distanced himself from the impeachment process of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua terming it ill-intentioned.
In a statement on X hours after Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse tabled the notice of motion to remove the second-in-command from office, Ali said he does not support the ouster motion.
“I have carefully read the charges in the impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. In good faith, I do not support this cause of action and find it ill-intentioned seeking to demonise a public servant who has contributed immensely to this great country,” he said.
The drafter of the motion, Mutuse, has leveled 11 charges against Gachagua including alleged graft and money laundering.
He also accuses the DP of insubordination to President William Ruto, a gross violation of the law, stirring ethnic hatred, bullying Kemsa officials and publicly attacking Justice Esther Maina among other allegations.
While tabling the notice of motion, the MP termed as suspicious the DP’s sudden acquisition of wealth in a relatively short period of time saying it’s not possible for someone known to earn about Sh12 million a year to accumulate Sh5.2 billion in two years.
“During the Presidential debate, Rigathi Gachagua did declare that he was worth Sh800 million. We are aware that he is paid slightly over Sh1 million, meaning that for the last two years, the more he could have accumulated justly is about 24 million. I will demonstrate before Kenyans that he has properties worth Sh5.2 billion. This is what we call unexplained assets,” Mutuse said.
The MP said he harbours no grudge, malice, ill will, or personal vendetta against Gachagua in drafting and moving the impeachment motion.
“I’m just doing my duty as a citizen of the Republic of Kenya and executing my mandate as a member of this House as mandated by the constitution to bring this motion,” he said.
A total of 291 MPs appended their signatures supporting the removal of Gachagua from office on the grounds levelled against him.
Ali, however, said he was not among those backing the DP’s ouster.
“Let it be known that I, Mohamed Ali Mohamed, did not sign the impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua,” he said.
The impeachment motion will be officially tabled again and debated upon by MPs before they take a vote.
If a third of the House supports Gachagua’s removal from office – equivalent to 233 MPs – he will stand impeached and immediately cease holding the second-most powerful office on the land.
Speaker Moses Wetangula said the hearing of the impeachment motion is set for Tuesday, October 8 whereupon the DP Gachagua will appear before the house in person, through a legal representative or both during consideration of the motion.
The speaker, meanwhile, said the National Assembly will conduct public participation on the Gachagua impeachment motion on Friday, October 4.
“It would be absurd for anyone to imagine that a motion such as the one presented before the House may be concluded without the participation of the public. I’m indeed persuaded that public participation is an integral element of the process of removal of an elected state officer from office.”
Wetang’ula said the House Business Committee approved a programme of public participation across the country to be coordinated from the 47 counties.