Happening Now: DP Gachagua's impeachment motion in Parliament
Fairly debate motion to remove DP from office
The tabling in Parliament of an impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has intensified the plot to oust him from the key position. President William Ruto and his deputy have bitterly fallen out, with their two-year partnership at the helm of the nation in tatters.
Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, who tabled the motion, says that 291 MPs have signed the petition to remove the DP from office, which exceeds the threshold of the 117 MPs required. Interestingly, though, this is now not a government-sponsored motion, but a private member’s initiative.
However, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s endorsing of the motion, saying that all the 11 grounds raised against the DP meet the constitutional threshold is particularly significant.
He is accused of gross violation of the Constitution. For the motion to pass, it would require the support of at least two-thirds of members of the National Assembly and the Senate.
The Speaker says DP Gachagua will be given two hours on October 8, to defend himself. Public participation on the motion will be carried out in all 47 counties on October 4.
Mr Gachagua is accused of, among other things, promoting ethnically divisive politics, and undermining the President. It is also alleged that he played a role in the anti-government Gen-Z protests. He has dismissed the allegations.
The first time the second-in-command was ousted in similar circumstances was in 1989, when an MP brought a vote of no-confidence in then Vice-President Josephat Karanja, also accusing him of undermining President Daniel arap Moi. He was forced to resign after only a year and one month in office. Under the old Constitution, he would have been fired by the President had he not resigned. However, the 2010 Constitution shields the Deputy President from being dismissed by the President.
The DP may be removed from office on the grounds of physical or mental incapacity or impeachment for a gross violation of the Constitution or any other law. The charges levelled against Mr Gachagua must be fairly and thoroughly debated and evaluated to confirm any wrongdoing to justify his ouster.
