National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has declined a request from Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto to retract his signature from a motion seeking the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
While addressing MPs during the debate on the motion, Wetang’ula acknowledged receiving a letter from Wandeto attempting to withdraw his support.
“I received a letter from Geofrrey Wandeto purporting to withdraw his signature. I want to invite the honourable members to read the Standing Orders that are very clear. Once you append your signature to a Special Motion, you have crossed the rubicon and you cannot withdraw that signature,” he stated.
Rubicon is a bounding or limiting line; especially one that when crossed commits a person irrevocably.
The motion to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, tabled last week by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, has gained overwhelming support, with 291 out of 345 National Assembly members appending their signatures.
Despite Gachagua’s efforts, he secured less than 20 percent of the House’s backing. MPs surpassed the required 117-member threshold by an additional 174 members, paving the way for the historic motion to be tabled.
Currently, the National Assembly has 345 members, four short of its full capacity of 349. Banisa, Magarini, and Ugunja constituencies remain vacant, while the ODM nomination seat, formerly held by Treasury CS John Mbadi, is yet to be filled.
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In his address, Speaker Moses Wetang’ula took aim at Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua following the latter’s contentious press briefing at his Karen residence in Nairobi on Monday. Wetang’ula described Gachagua’s comments as inappropriate, given the gravity of the impeachment proceedings that commenced on Tuesday morning.
During the session, Wetang’ula read out the eleven charges brought against the Deputy President, paving the way for parliamentary deliberations.
DP Gachagua is set to appear before the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon, where he will be given two hours to defend himself against the charges.
The Speaker’s remarks come shortly after Gachagua addressed the media, dismissing the charges as politically motivated. According to the Deputy President, the impeachment attempt has no basis in constitutional violations and is purely a political maneuver.
