NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 29 — Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has termed his planned impeachment motion “an act of subversion” insisting that he must finish his five-year term.
Speaking at a church service in Kinoru, Meru County, on Sunday Gachagua asked those plotting his impeachment to allow him to end his 5-year term before President William Ruto considers a possible replacement.
Gachagua claimed that having been elected on a joint ticket with President William Ruto, his impeachment would amount to subverting the will of theh people.
“As we do whatever we are doing in the political space it is my prayer that we should always respect the will of the people which is supreme. Elections were done the President and I were elected on a joint ticket for 5 years and that is the will of the people,” he said.
Gachagua warned of unexplained dire political consequences.
“Let us not fall into the temptations of overturning the will of the people through other methods because the people will not be happy,” he stated.
“Let us all agree that the tenets of democracy require that you respect the will of the people because it is sovereig,” Gachagua asserted.
Contrary to Gachagua’s claims however, the Constitution does not guarantee the completion of term for elected leaders nor does it require for simultaneous removal for leaders elected on a joint ticket.
Article 150 of the Constitution provides three broad grounds for the removal of the Deputy President from office in line with provisions outlined for the removal of the President under Articles 144 and 145.
‘Far-reaching consequences’
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, a key ally of Gachagua, has challenged lawmakers plotting to impeach the Deputy President promising of “far-reaching” consequences from Mt Kenya region.
Reacting to the planned impeachment with a motion slotted for tabling in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Kahiga termed the impeachment plot an affront to the people of the region.
“I want to tell those MPs spending sleepless nights planning how to impeach Gachagua to bring the motion to the National Assembly. We will deal with it but they must be aware that this will alter the political equation of this region,” said Kahiga.
The United Democratic Party (UDA) Secretary General Hassan Omar has since hinted at plans to kick out Gachagua from the party should his Impeachment Motion sail through the National Assembly.
Omar on Sunday stated that the ruling party could not afford to have a weak and inept deputy leader who goes against the constitution.
“Should that motion of impeachment against the Deputy President sail through, our immediate concern will be to eject him also as a member of the UDA party,” he said.
Omar accused Gachagua of fueling political disunity terming him as a threat to national unity terming his continued stay in UDA untenable.
“You cannot [be found to be] grossly incompetent, undermining the constitution and national unity and still remain a ranking member of this party.”
He stated that the Deputy President has been promoting ethnic politics, which may cause divides across the nation.
“You cannot preach the gospel of ethnicity, malice, divisions, exclusion and trying to incite one group of people against another,” he stated.
Source: capitalfm
