Senate has released a programme for the planned impeachment motion hearing of embattled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on October 16-17, 2024.
In a statement by the Senate speaker Amason Kingi on Friday, October 11, 2024, Gachagua will be accorded two days to defend himself from the eleven grounds fronted as the basis for his removal from office by way of impeachment.
On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, the session at the Senate will begin with a closed session for all the senators from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.
10:00 – 10:30: Preliminaries
(a) Recital of the mandate of the senate, rules of procedure and hearing programme
(b) Introduction of members of the National Assembly. representing the National Assembly, and their counsel, if any.
(c) Introduction of the Deputy President and the counsel representing the Deputy President, if any.
10:30 am – 11:00 am Reading of the Charges
11:00 am-11:30 am Opening Statement on behalf of the National Assembly (30 minutes)
11:30 am – 12:00 noon Opening Statement on behalf of the Deputy President (30 minutes)
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Evidence by the National Assembly (Evidence of witnesses, if any. cross-examination and re-examination): A total of 3 hours for the evidence of the National Assembly and a total of 2 hours for cross-examination.
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Lunch Break
2.30 pm – 6:30 pm Cont….. Evidence by the National Assembly (Evidence of witnesses, if any, cross-examination and re-examination)
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Questions/Requests for clarification by Senators
Adjournment
Day 2: Gachagua’s impeachment hearing
9.00 am – 1:00 pm: Evidence by the Deputy President (Evidence of witnesses, if any, cross-examination and re-examination): A total of 3 hours for the evidence of the Deputy President and a total of 2 hours for cross-examination.
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Lunch Break
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Continuation of evidence by the Deputy President (Evidence of witnesses, if any, cross-examination and re-examination)
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Questions/requests for clarification by senators
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm: Closing Statement on behalf of the National Assembly (60 minutes)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm: Closing statement on behalf of the Deputy President (60 minutes)
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Debate on the motion on the proposed removal from office, by impeachment, of Rigathi Gachagua, EGH, the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya.
Voting 8:30 pm
If the Senate passes the impeachment by having at least 45 senators support the motion, then Gachagua’s fate is sealed.
The Deputy President may have to explore other non-political avenues like the Judiciary for recourse, given the battery of lawyers at his disposal.
