While a censure motion has a serious effect on an official's public image, it does not remove the person from office. The result is, to a great degree, a symbolic manifestation of a loss of confidence in the leadership of the official concerned without removing him from office.
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What is an Impeachment Motion?
Unlike a motion of censure, an Impeachment Motion has graver consequences since it is one meant to result in the removal of a high-ranking officer from office. This can be instituted in Parliament for a President, in the National Assembly and a Deputy President in the Senate on account of a gross violation of the Constitution or other gross misconduct.
The process of impeachment is very time-consuming and has several stages: the National Assembly is to vote for it by a two-thirds majority; after that, a trial is to be held in the Senate. In case of one's guilt, an official is immediately removed from office.
A similar process has been the impeachment motion filed against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua based on constitutional violations. In the event the motion sails through both Houses, Gachagua will cease holding the office major political turn of events.
Key Differences Between the Two Motions
The only key difference between a censure motion and an impeachment motion, despite both being ways of holding public officials accountable, lies in their consequences. While a censure motion is a formal reprimand with no removal from office, an impeachment motion would directly entail the removal of the leadership.
Besides, the procedure for each is radically different: a censure motion is light and requires a majority vote in only one House, while impeachment is an elaborate, multi-stage process that requires a much higher threshold to pass.
Why This Matters for Kenya's Political Future
Both the censure and impeachment motions are making their way through Parliament, and the impacts of such a move are seemingly going to change the face of politics and governance in this country for the longer term. Be it the censure motion aimed at holding President Ruto accountable or probably the impeachment motion that might see the removal of Deputy President Gachagua from office, its impacts would reverberate from the political system to the public consciousness.