by George Kaiga
A public participation session on the special motion for the proposed removal from office by impeachment of the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua held in Kakamega County ended in disarray today.
During a heated argument, participants clashed, with some supporting the proposal while others insisted that the President and his Deputy must both take political responsibility since they vied on one ticket.
But the session degenerated into a shouting match with a group of the participants shouting “Gachagua Must Go”, prompting the National Assembly staff overseeing the exercise to hurriedly leave the room.
During the session held at the Magaribi Social Hall, participants were given a form containing allegations against the DP that they were required to sign, by either supporting or not supporting the proposed impeachment.
It was then that the organizers allowed the residents to air their views before signing the forms.
The session started off well with some speakers faulting the manner in which the grounds of impeachment were crafted against the DP, saying they lacked a clear framework of indicating who the complainant is.
Haroun Opanda from Mumias East Constituency cited allegations of gross economic crimes Act, and that of making divisive and inciteful remarks as very serious allegation and wondered why the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) or the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) never brought out a formal complaint against the Deputy President over the allegations.
“Who is the complainant here, we have not seen any evidence attached suggesting that the Deputy President had committed the offences alleged,” he wondered.
However, Juma Makokha from Lurambi Constituency maintained that the Deputy President had failed in his duties as the Principal Assistant to the President, saying he had failed to display leadership.
He however faulted the government for not addressing pertinent issues of concern to mwananchi including the troubled new university education funding model and the Social Health Insurance (SHIF) medical scheme.
David Luvisi called for a middle ground, suggesting it would be prudent for both the President and his Deputy to sit together and iron out their differences amicably, saying the ongoing trend is bad for the country’s development.
Participants complained that they were never consulted before the implementation of the Social Health Authority scheme as well as the new university funding model, the way they are being asked to give views on the proposed impeachment of the Deputy President.
The organizers, who declined to speak to the media because they are not authorized, were forced to end the meeting prematurely after two opposing groups emerged, with one supporting and another opposing the impeachment allegations.
The participants later filled the forms and handed them over to the secretariat that will collate the contents form the basis for debate in the National Assembly by the Members of Parliament on whether or not to impeach the DP.
Gachagua is facing 11 accusations, among them dividing Kenyans along ethnic lines, undermining the Presidency, violating his oath of office, contravening the National Cohesion and Integration Act.
Other accusations for impeachment include allegedly amassing Sh5.2 billion in property through alleged corrupt means, inciting the public against the directives from the County government of Nairobi, gross misconduct and alleged bullying of MPs.
The National Assembly has a seven –day timeline, which expires Tuesday next week to decide on the special motion to impeach the DP before the Senate takes up the matter.
