Political daggers drawn as MPs impeach DP Gachagua

National Assembly's  Speaker Moses Wetangula (centre) confers with Majority leader Kimani Ichungwa (left) and Minority leader Junet Mohamed at Parliament. October 8, 2024 [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The National Assembly was yesterday a battlefield of sorts as a heated and rare debate on the ouster of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua took a definitive turn.

In a day-long engagement, lawmakers from across the political divide made their cases for or against the exit of the DP.

While those advocating for his ouster made a strong case, Gachagua got support from unlikely quarters after a section of members of the opposition came to his defense, arguing that the evidence tabled before them did not meet the threshold to impeach him. They were also against the House being reduced to an arena where personal scores were settled.

Kilifi MP Owen Baya while seconding the motion, criticized the DP over his remarks made on Monday where Gachagua referred to Parliament as a theatre of the absurd and House of ridicule.

“A person of the stature of the Deputy President who can say such things about this House does not deserve to continue serving as the Deputy of the republic,” said Baya.

“What is absurd is when the DP demands that for the 8 million votes from Mt Kenya he should be paid Sh2000 translating to Sh16 billion so he can bring peace to this country. That is the theatre of absurd. He has committed impeachable offenses as has been ably demonstrated by the mover of the motion. Looking at the evidence provided, it is enough to impeach the Deputy President and he must stand impeached by the end of the day today,” remarked the MP.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (centre) arrives at the National Assembly on October 8, 2024. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo methodically took apart Gachagua’s defense, and poked holes into his  submissions observing  that it was now clear that the Deputy President can no longer deputize the President and could no longer be part of the Cabinet.

“Let it be a lesson that be you ever so high, the constitution is above you…I have chosen my side after listening to the self-entitlement (by the Deputy President), the disdain of governance institutions, to this Parliament and to the courts. After treating Kenyans as fools by trying to mislead on the intent and purpose of his utterances on government being a company, it was easy for me to make a decision to cast my lot with the impeachment of the Deputy President, “he stated.

Adding, “On the issue of KEMSA, the evidence tabled by Hon. Mutuse includes an affidavit by Dr. Mulwa that says the DPs phone calls were aimed at interfering and covering procurement irregularities. The fact the Deputy President admits to these processes and sees nothing wrong with it, is a very serious matter of integrity.”

He also addressed calls by members of the public calling for the ouster of both President Ruto and DP Gachagua by saying it was not tenable.

 “We are in a very unique situation where we have a President, a Deputy President but we do not have an IEBC. If we impeach the DP as we want to and as we need to, the position can be filled even without an IEBC. But if there is no President and no DP, only the Speaker can act for 60 days. Within those days, an election must be held but we need the President to nomination the panel that will nominates the IEBC commissioners. In other words, if you say “Kufa Dereva Kufa Makanga”, you want absolute turmoil for all Kenyans to die in that accident,” observed the lawyer.

I am convinced, having looked at the DP, having listened to him that the DP is not remorseful and not prepared to change. He is a man that must be saved from himself through impeachment.”

Nyandarua MP Faith Gitau noted that the Presidency was expected to portray a national image as opposed to an ethnic outlook.

“Our DP has been at the forefront of advancing a selfish ethnic agenda. For him it is about his community and nothing more. After an election, the government has to serve both those who voted for it and those who did not.

On the flipside, a section of legislators led by Kitui Central MP Makau Mulu went to bat for DP Gachagua by objecting to the motion.

Mulu cautioned that the impeachment of a Deputy speaker is a matter of national interest and the House had to be very careful with the precedence they set.

“I want to remind the House that we are only one part of this impeachment process. We must therefore isolate personal issues from issues that make sense to Kenyans so that we do not, as a House, go with the mob justice mentality and at the other stages we lose it,” said the MP.

 “I have listened to the grounds of this impeachment motion and Mr. Mutuse trying to justify this motion. I have picked a few and I’m still asking myself whether the DP deserves to be impeached on those grounds,” he emphasized.

He further defended the claims by Gachagua about Kenya being a country with shareholders.

 “Let us all be honest. We are all politicians who have been voted in. How many of you can say that they have not practiced what is being explained in this motion?” he posed amid heckling from the members.

“Most of you are doing exactly what is being said in this motion. Its only that they do not do it publicly. That is the honest truth!” said third time law maker.

Kajiado North Onesmus Ngogoyo said that “impeaching the Deputy President of Republic Kenya needs more evidence than what Mutuse has provided. I find this to be very shallow. In the words of the Chief Justice, this is Hot air.”

MP John Kaguchia advocated for the reconciliation and closing of ranks between Gachagua and President Ruto in the spirit of the new constitution which envisages them working together.

“I am of the opinion that we should seek to bring the two leaders together. In the past we have brought Koffi Anan, President Museveni, former President Obasanjo to reconcile leaders and we should come up with a mechanism to ensure our senior leaders reconcile when they disagree.”

“If and when we open the Pandora’s box of impeachment, we might be opening something that we are unable to sustain. We are now likely to have many impeachments coming to this House,” he added.

Kitui West MP Edith Nyenze said :  “The scripture highlights the need for forgiveness and mercy. Reconciliation should be given room, if there was dialogue with a prime minister, handshake with a former prime minister why not give dialogue to the Deputy President for the peace of this country. The people of Kitui West have more pressing issues than this impeachment.

 Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto who yesterday sought to withdraw in support of Gachgaua’s ouster begged the House to spare.

“When a man is down, in the spirit of Ubuntu, it is not good to crush him. The Deputy President on Sunday stood at the alter and apologized profusely to his boss. Our party UDA has internal dispute resolution mechanisms which have not been exhausted so as to bring this matter to this House,” averred Wandeto.  

“This matter can wait to 2027 so we can focus on service delivery to our people. I will personally volunteer to lead other leaders in the country in sitting down with the DP so that if there are any issues that he needs to correct, he does so. He has some good in himself and that must be preserved,” he submitted.