Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula has appealed to MPs to remain silent as Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua defends himself against the impeachment charges.
Speaking shortly before the DP took to the floor of the House, the speaker said the two-hour session would be strictly guided by the Standing Orders.
“I want to encourage you members to maintain your silence, to maintain your decorum and to maintain the dignity of both the House and yourselves in listening to the subject of this motion who is the Deputy President of the country,” he said.
Wetang’ula said Gachagua has the prerogative to expend the entire two hours or less in articulating his defence.
During this time, the speaker said, members should desist from causing any interference.
“When he finishes, the minority leader and the majority leader will take the floor as we had agreed; after that, the mover will be invited to reply and after that, we will go into a voting session,” he said.
To Gachagua, he said: “Your Excellency once you finish, you have the option to remain in the House or to leave because you will have spent your time as allocated by the House.”
The DP was invited to the National Assembly to defend himself for two hours from 5 pm against 11 charges levelled against him by Kibwezi West MP, Mwengi Mutuse.
The accusations include fomenting ethnic animosity, committing economic crimes, undermining the President, publicly attacking a judge, threatening the acting Kemsa CEO, acting in insubordination of the President and alleged acquisition of wealth amounting to Sh5.2 billion.
Gachagua has denied all the charges and vowed to fight the ouster end to the bitter end including using the courts.
In a press interview at his official residence in Karen Monday night, he said four properties Mutuse claim he acquired irregularly are assets that belonged to his late brother, former Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua.
He said he was only appointed as the executioner of the will his late brother wrote a short while before his death on February 24, 2017.