DP Rigathi Gachagua, his son Dr Keith Gachagua arrive at Senate chambers ahead of day two of his impeachment hearing. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]
Kenyans are closely following the Senate proceedings as Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment trial enters its second day.
The trial continues to draw intense public interest, with the Deputy President expected to present witnesses in his defense.
The session began at 9:30 a.m. with the continuation of testimony from the National Assembly’s witnesses, carrying on from Wednesday evening.
The cross-examination and re-examination are set to last one hour, with 20 minutes allocated to the National Assembly and 45 minutes to Gachagua’s legal team.
Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse and Dr Andrew Mulwa have already submitted their responses.
Following this, Gachagua’s lawyers, led by Senior Counsel Paul Muite, will present their defense, including witness testimonies and cross-examination. According to the schedule set by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, this segment will take place from 10:35 am to 1:00 pm on Thursday, October 17.
Both Gachagua’s team and the National Assembly will each have two hours for re-examination and cross-examination. The hearing will resume at 2:30 pm, with additional cross-examination continuing until 4:00 pm.
From 4:00 pm. to 7:00 pm, senators will have the opportunity to ask questions or seek clarifications, followed by closing statements from the legal teams of both the National Assembly and Gachagua.
A one-hour closed session is scheduled from 7:05 pm to 8:05 pm, after which the debate on the charges will proceed. This will include final submissions from Gachagua’s counsel before a vote.
Senators will cast their votes electronically, deciding on each of the 11 charges, which include allegations of gross misconduct and violation of the Constitution.
As the nation watches, the Deputy President's fate rests in the hands of the Senate.
