Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo has claimed that the formation of a broad-based government has played a key role in preventing the impeachment of President William Ruto.

Speaking during a morning talk show with a local station on April 2, 2026, Maanzo argued that the current political arrangement of the country has helped consolidate support in Parliament, effectively defending the Head of State from potential removal efforts.

According to the senator, cooperation between rival political factions under the broad-based framework has made it difficult to marshal the numbers required to initiate and sustain an impeachment motion.

Failure of the opposition

He said that President Ruto could have been impeached if the opposition had performed its job in Parliament on its own and in a strong way.

“Part of the opposition has gone to bed with the government, giving them sufficient numbers to operate as they feel and to abuse all the processes. If there were no broad-based government, President Ruto should have been impeached a long time ago,” Maanzo stated.

Maanzo also raised concerns over what he described as political compromise driven by financial interests, alleging that monetary influence between coalitions has weakened accountability.

He said that the opposition should always remain independent and ensure that they perform their oversight role in the government in office.

He noted that the overlap between the opposition and government within the same coalition has made it harder to exercise effective oversight over the presidency.

“When there is an election, the opposition should remain opposition and check the government properly,” Maanzo said.

Impeachment of the President

The president can be impeached when amember of the National Assembly, supported by at least a third of all the members.

The members of parliament may move a motion for the impeachment of the president on the grounds of a gross violation of a provision of this Constitution or of any other law, where there are serious reasons for believing that the president has committed a crime under national or international law, or for gross misconduct.

If a motion under clause (1) is supported by at least two-thirds of all the members of the National Assembly, the Speaker shall inform the Speaker of the Senate of that resolution within two days, and the President shall continue to perform the functions of the office pending the outcome of the proceedings required by this Article.

Within seven days after receiving notice of a resolution from the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the Senate shall convene a meeting of the Senate to hear charges against the President; and the Senate, by resolution, may appoint a special committee comprising eleven of its members to investigate the matter.