(Nairobi) – Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is now concentrating his efforts in the Senate as he fights for his political future after a failed attempt to halt his impeachment process in court. Gachagua’s close allies are strategizing to gain support from President William Ruto to strengthen their position.
Although a few Members of Parliament (MPs) who signed the impeachment motion have declared their intent to oppose it on Tuesday, Gachagua’s team remains optimistic that the motion will pass in the National Assembly. Even if the 54 MPs who did not sign the motion vote against it, Gachagua will still require the support of 63 MPs to reach the minimum of 117 votes needed for his defense.
With the National Assembly set to convene on Tuesday, Gachagua is now viewing the Senate as a potential ally in his fight for survival. His supporters believe that with only 67 Senators, they can effectively appeal to their sense of justice and reason, a quality that the Senate has demonstrated in past decisions.
In contrast to the National Assembly, which has 345 members expected to vote on Gachagua’s fate, the Senate requires only a two-thirds majority to support the motion. According to the Constitution, the impeachment motion needs backing from at least 233 MPs in the National Assembly.
Similarly, in the Senate, the motion sponsored by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse requires support from at least two-thirds of the Senators, which equates to 45 members. Thus, Gachagua needs the backing of at least 23 Senators to maintain his position.
Gachagua’s allies are confident that public sentiment will influence the Senators during their engagement sessions, as some have expressed opposition to the impeachment motion. The United Democratic Alliance (UDA), led by President Ruto, has 31 Senators, while the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), led by Raila Odinga, has 20 Senators. The Jubilee Party is represented by five Senators, Wiper by four, UDM by three, Ford Kenya by one, and the National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA) by one, with the Democratic Party (DP) having one Senator.
Both the Jubilee and Wiper parties have publicly declared their support for Gachagua. Reports indicate that a governor closely associated with Gachagua has been engaging with religious leaders, urging them to reach out to President Ruto to mediate between the two leaders.
Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has confirmed that similar efforts are being made by Gachagua’s supporters. “We know the Church is striving to bring reconciliation between these two leaders. Given that many citizens oppose the motion, the President may instruct the MPs to reject it,” Maanzo stated.
On Tuesday, after discussions begin at 3 PM, Gachagua will have two hours to defend himself against the 11 charges outlined by MP Mutuse. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang’ula, has also stated that Gachagua may enlist the help of his lawyers for his defense.
Following Gachagua’s defense, all 345 MPs will vote on whether to support or oppose the motion. The total number of MPs is 349, but four seats are currently vacant. These vacancies include the Banisa seat, which remains unfilled following the death of Kollow Ali Hassan; the Ugunja seat, vacant after Opiyo Wandayi’s appointment as a Cabinet Secretary; the Magarini seat, which was declared vacant following a court ruling; and the seat previously held by John Mbadi, who was appointed as the Cabinet Secretary for Finance.
