President William Ruto’s allies are planning to install a new Deputy President as soon as Saturday if the Senate upholds the National Assembly’s decision to impeach the incumbent, Rigathi Gachagua.

Highly placed sources in the government and the National Assembly revealed in confidence a plan was afoot to convene a special sitting as early as Friday to consider Gachagua’s successor.

The murmurs came as the High Court threw out a petition filed by Gachagua seeking to stop the Senate from debating his impeachment this morning, clearing the way for lawmakers to uphold or reject the MPs’ decision to send him packing.

Necessary measures

Justice Chacha Mwita ruled that courts could not interfere with the constitutional mandate of Parliament.

National Assembly sources confided in People Daily yesterday that the government had put in place the necessary measures, including a pre-prepared Kenya Gazette notice containing the name of Gachagua’s successor that would be published as soon as senators uphold the DP’s impeachment likely tomorrow night.

This implies that the government side has confidence that the Senate will uphold the National Assembly’s decision to send the second-in-command packing.

A senior government official disclosed that by Saturday morning, Kenya would have a new Deputy President, who will not only have been gazetted but also approved by the National Assembly.

Said the official: “I can assure you that by Saturday, we will have a new Deputy President. The name will be gazetted on Thursday evening once the Senate makes its decision and then we hope the National Assembly can approve the name the following day [Friday].”

A motion to convene a special sitting on Friday to approve the new Deputy President could be debated and passed today, said another top official in the National Assembly.

The sources said the National Assembly is keen to ensure that it approves a new Deputy President on Friday before lawmakers proceed on a short recess.

Said the source: “Wait for [Wednesday]. You will see a motion to have a special sitting for Friday. We will have a new DP in the city by the weekend. This is a done matter.”

In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Deputy President, Chapter 149 of the Constitution provides that, within 14 days after the vacancy being declared, the President will nominate a person to fill it, and the National Assembly will vote on the nomination within 60 days after receiving it.

The chapter says: “If a person assumes office as Deputy President then, for the purposes of Article 148 (8), the person shall be deemed to have served a full term as Deputy President if, at the date on which the person assumed office, more than two and a half years remain before the date of the next regularly scheduled election under Article 136 (2) (a).”

Among the frontrunners for the DP’s position, People Daily established, are Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and governors Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a) and Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga).

Other names being bandied about were those of National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika.

’Natural heir’

Kindiki is widely viewed as the natural heir to the seat, having been narrowly edged out by Gachagua in the run-up to the 2022 general election.

Mudavadi’s name has featured prominently, but sources revealed that the pre-election agreement between President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and his Amani National Congress (ANC) was explicit that the number two slot would remain in UDA, with ANC and Moses Wetangula’s Ford Kenya taking up 30 percent of all government appointments besides the positions of Prime Cabinet Secretary and National Assembly Speaker.

Ichung’wah is being credited with almost singlehandedly spearheading Gachagua’s ouster, besides his role as National Assembly majority leader that saw him bulldoze through several pro-government bills.

Yesterday, some women leaders from the Mt Kenya region called for Waiguru’s appointment in the event Gachagua is sent home.
They cited Waiguru’s extensive experience in government and leadership.

“She is worth it because she was Cabinet Secretary in the ministry of devolution and planning and is governor. She has led the governors of Kenya and brought them together, and now she leads a group of female governors pushing development across the country,” said Winnie Njoroge.

Intense lobbying

The fresh details about plans to replace Gachagua came hours ahead of the DP’s scheduled appearance before the Senate to argue his case.

Already, intense lobbying is underway in the Senate as each side try to engage senators to support their cause.
A schedule released by Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye shows that between 10am and 10:30am, members of the National Assembly and their lawyers will be introduced before the DP’s team gets their turn.

This will be followed by the reading of the charges outlined against Gachagua.

The teams will then have 30 minutes each to make their opening remarks. The National Assembly will then have three hours to table evidence and another two hours for cross-examination.