The hearing of the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment case has been postponed to May 7.
The case which had been scheduled to run from Monday to Wednesday this week was pushed to allow Justice Antony Mrima to take part in Supreme Court judge interviews as part of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) panel.
On Monday Gachagua maintained that his removal from office was unconstitutional while challenging the impeachment process before the Milimani High Court.
His legal team, led by Senior Counsel Paul Muite, argued that the proceedings that led to his impeachment violated constitutional rights and denied him a fair opportunity to defend himself.
Muite criticised the manner in which the impeachment was conducted, saying the process was rushed and concluded without following the required standards of fairness.
The former DP was impeached on October 17, 2024, after Senators approved five of the 11 charges levelled against him the impeachment motion.
The impeachment followed a motion by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, which was supported by 281 Members of the National Assembly.
The motion by MP Mutuse outlined 11 grounds for removal that included gross violations of the Constitution and other laws such as the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Leadership and Integrity Act, and the National Cohesion and Integration Act.
The 11 charges that Gachagua faced ranged from allegations of financial misconduct to accusations of ethnic divisiveness.
Similarly, the impeachment motion accused him of undermining President William Ruto’s government and engaging in corrupt activities, including using proxies to amass significant wealth and state property.
In addition, Gachagua has been accused of fostering division by engaging in politics that exploits ethnic tensions, a serious charge in Kenya’s delicate political landscape.
Also read https://www.kbc.co.ke/deputy-president-rigathi-gachagua-impeached/
