National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed has hailed the House’s resolution to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, as a significant moment in the country’s history.
He said the current development will be seen as a pivotal moment for national cohesion and the preservation of Article 10 of the Constitution.
Article 10 is on the national values and principles of governance that bind all state organs, state officers, public officers and all persons whenever any of them applies or interprets the constitution, enacts, applies or interprets any law, or makes or implements public policy decisions.
According to Article 10 (2), the national values and principles of governance include patriotism, sharing and devolution of power, human dignity, equity, social justice, non-discrimination and protection of the marginalised, good governance, integrity and sustainable development.
Junet emphasised the significance of the National Assembly’s majority decision for future generations and the enduring strength it brings to the nation.
“I am confident that future generations will look back at this moment and judge it as a turning point for cohesion in this country, and that makes me glad to have been here and now at this great national moment. Article 10 of our constitution has been secured, perhaps, forever,” he said.
Junet spoke after Tuesday’s vote which saw a total of 281 MPs vote in favour of the ouster motion against 44, who voted to save Gachagua.
One MP abstained from voting.
The number of the motion’s supporters exceeded the threshold of at least two thirds of members of the National Assembly needed.
The motion to send him home was presented by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, who had preferred 11 charges against Gachagua.
The accusations included gross violation of the constitution, undermining the President, undermining devolution, irregular acquisition of wealth, publicly attacking a judge, intimidating acting Kemsa CEO, promoting ethnicity and insubordination to the President among other charges.
The Deputy President however denied all the allegations.
Gachagua’s fate now rests in the hands of the Senate, as National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula is expected to notify Speaker Amason Kingi of the vote, latest by Thursday.
The Senate must sit within a week of receiving the impeachment and will then have 10 days to deal with the motion, including allowing the besieged DP to cross-examine the evidence.
It will require the support of at least two-thirds of senators to pass.
If it goes through, Gachagua will become the first deputy president to be impeached in the country’s history.
The impeachment can however be appealed through the courts.
On Monday, Gachagua told the media that “I will fight to the end”.