The National Assembly formally transmitted a communication to the Senate on the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
House clerk Samuel Njoroge wrote to his Senate counterpart Jeremiah Nyegenye on the resolutions in a letter dated October 8 and received on October 9.
“Attached herewith, please find a message in respect of the Resolution of the National Assembly on its approval of a Special Motion on the Removal from Office, by Impeachment, of H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, EGH, Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya.”
“Enclosed with the message please find copies of the following-Notice of Special Motion and Affidavit of the Hon. Eckomas Mwengi Mutuse, MPdated 26th September, 2024 and received on 27th September 2024 running from page 40 to 42, electronic evidence relating to the Special Motion · contained in a flash disk, Order Paper for 1st October, 2024, Communication from the Chair No. 046 of 2024 issued on 1st October 2024 5) Communication from the Chair No. 047 of 2024 issued on 1st October 2024, Certified Hansard and Votes and Proceedings for 1st October, 2024.”
Other needed documents were also transmitted to the Senate.
The law says once the motion is passed, the Speaker shall inform the Speaker of the Senate of that resolution within two days and the President shall continue to perform the functions of the office pending the outcome of the proceedings required by law.
Within seven days after receiving notice of a resolution from the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the Senate shall convene a meeting of the Senate to hear charges against the President.
The Senate, by resolution, may appoint a special committee comprising eleven of its members to investigate the matter.
A special committee appointed shall investigate the matter and report to the Senate within ten days whether it finds the allegations against the DP valid.
The Senate will then vote on the same.
The National Assembly voted Tuesday to impeach Gachagua from office.
In a historic vote held on Tuesday evening, 281 MPs voted in support of the impeachment motion against Gachagua.
Some 44 legislators voted against the motion while one legislator abstained.
The Special Motion outlined 11 charges against the Deputy President, including gross violation of the Constitution, undermining the President and the Cabinet, undermining Devolution, and compromising judicial independence by publicly attacking a judge.
Additional accusations included making inciteful statements, committing economic crimes, spreading false, malicious, divisive, and inciteful remarks, publicly insubordination of the President, and persistently bullying State and public officers.
Before the vote, Gachagua appeared before the National Assembly where he defended himself against the allegations for about two hours. He dismissed the claims as “outrageous and baseless propaganda” aimed at tarnishing his reputation and removing him from office.
Gachagua condemned the impeachment proceedings, calling them the “most shameful act” in the history of the House, asserting that legislators were attempting to oust a democratically elected leader based on fabrications.
