Written By Lisa Murimi
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is preparing for a legal battle to challenge his ouster, following a successful impeachment motion in the National Assembly.
On Tuesday, 281 members of parliament voted in favor of the motion, surpassing the required threshold of 117 MPs, allowing the case to proceed to the Senate.
Gachagua, facing 11 charges, has enlisted a team of high-profile lawyers led by veteran counsels Paul Muite and Fred Ngatia.
They are pushing for the case to be heard by a three-judge bench at the Supreme Court due to the gravity of the allegations.
The legal team argues that impeachment must be based on concrete proof of gross violation of the Constitution, not just political numbers.
“It’s not about numbers in the National Assembly. There has to be proof of gross violation of the Constitution,” Muite stated, emphasizing the sovereign power vested in the people of Kenya, who elected both the president and the deputy president.
The Senate is set to hear the impeachment motion in plenary on Wednesday, October 16, and Thursday, October 17.
All 47 senators will participate in the process. If the motion secures a two-thirds majority in the Senate, Gachagua could face removal from office, but his legal team plans to appeal the decision in court.
