NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 17 – Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s lawyers walked out of the Senate on Thursday after their request to postpone the impeachment trial to October 22, 2024, was rejected.
Lead counsel Paul Muite had appealed to the Speaker Amason Kingi to suspend the sittings to Saturday, citing Gachagua’s hospitalization due to severe chest pains as grounds for the delay.
However, the Senate dismissed the request and instead voted to continue the trial on Saturday.
Following the decision, Gachagua’s legal team sought permission to withdraw from delivering their closing arguments.
“Because we do not have clear instruction from our client, we seek leave not to make our closing statement,” Muite said.
After the walkout, Speaker Kingi permitted the National Assembly to deliver their closing statements in Gachagua’s impeachment trial, where he faces eleven charges, all of which he has denied.
Once the statements are concluded, Senators will debate the motion before voting on Gachagua’s impeachment.
On October 8, 2024, 282 Members of the National Assembly voted to impeach Gachagua, following his fallout with President William Ruto.
Source: capitalfm
