The National Assembly has suspended its October 3 sitting to facilitate essential administrative arrangements for comprehensive public participation in Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's impeachment process.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who led this decision, stressed the significance of involving the public at a grassroots level.
The impeachment debate will begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, and continue until its conclusion later that afternoon. The session has been extended under Standing Order 30(3) to allow full consideration of the Special Motion to Remove the Deputy President from Office.
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Kimani Ichung’wah emphasized the need for MPs to facilitate public participation, extending it to polling stations to ensure citizens are well-represented. The debate structure allows the motion mover 60 minutes to present their case, with the response time limited to 30 minutes.
The Majority, minority, and Second Leaders and the Seconder will each have 10 minutes to voice their opinions, while other MPs will have five minutes to voice their opinions.
The motion gathered overwhelming support, with 291 out of 345 MPs backing the impeachment, significantly surpassing the required 117-member threshold.
This highlighted Deputy President Gachagua’s diminishing influence, as he secured less than 20% of the assembly’s support.
Among the notable MPs who supported the motion was Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, who led the charge, and Jubilee nominated MP Sabina Chege, who had previously defended Gachagua.
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, a close ally of President William Ruto, was notably absent from the process, raising eyebrows.
The impeachment motion has sparked heightened political tension, with calls to beef up security for the President and MPs.
