By Andrew Kariuki

Lawyer Swanya Ogeto has challenged the process used to remove former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office, arguing that it failed to meet the constitutional threshold of public participation.

Addressing the court, Ogeto submitted that the process used to impeach the Deputy President did not reflect the same level of public involvement through which he was elected.

“It is our submission that this exercise to remove the DP from office, who was elected by a majority of Kenyans in each gazetted polling station in the country, required similar methodology and participation to remove him from office,” he stated.

He further argued that the public participation forums relied upon in the process were inadequate and did not comply with court directives.

“And certainly the purported NG-CDF offices advertised without prescribed venue addresses did not meet Justice Mwongo’s court order to provide venues close to the people,” Ogeto added.

He maintained that the only truly accessible venues for such a process would have been polling stations.

“In any case, the only venue close to the people is polling stations,” he said.

Ogeto’s submissions form part of the broader legal challenge questioning the legality and constitutionality of the process that led to Gachagua’s removal from office.