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Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has accused Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga of misleading his followers over the recently launched signature collection drive aimed at ‘removing’ President William Ruto from power.

In a tweet on Saturday, July 8, 2023, the seasoned legislator said Raila was taking his supporters, a majority who come from the ODM party, for fools. He argued that the President can only be removed from office through an elaborate parliamentary process.

“Babaman taking ODM followers, for fools. The president can be removed not through signatures but by the Senate through impeachment and by a tribunal supported by National Assembly due to physical or mental incapacity,” Khalwale stated.

Babaman taking ODM followers, for fools. The president can be removed not thru signatures but
~by the Senate thru impeachment
~by a tribunal supported by National Assembly due to physical or mental incapacity pic.twitter.com/x4gRbJY3Jd

— Dr Boni Khalwale, CBS (@KBonimtetezi) July 8, 2023

Raila on Friday announced a push to collect 10 million signatures to show disapproval for the Kenya Kwanza administration as he protested the high cost of living and additional taxes introduced by President Ruto’s regime through the Finance Bill 2023.

The opposition leader was the first to sign the signature collection roll during the Saba Saba rally held at the Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi.

“I will be the first to sign this petition to remove Ruto from power. I want by next month, we get to 10 million signatories and get this rogue government out of power,” Raila said.

“We want to tell them the sovereign power does not belong to MPs but the people and the people are tired and they’re going to take back their power. We also demanded that the cost of living be reduced. Instead, the government has added all the taxes they can think of to oppress Kenyans,” he added.

President Ruto is yet to react to the ‘plot’ to kick him out of office but his deputy Rigathi Gachagua yesterday termed it as an exercise in futility.

Speaking at a burial in Giaituu village, Mathira constituency, Nyeri County, Gachagua affirmed the Kenya Kwanza government’s legitimacy, dismissing the ouster threats as wishful thinking.

“Even if they collect those signatures, where will they take them? People signed on the ballot and that was the end,” Gachagua said.

“I want to tell the people of Kenya to stay focused; we are not bothered by the noise of the opposition.”

Article 145 of the 2010 Constitution provides that a member of the National Assembly, supported by at least a third of all the members, may move a motion for the impeachment of the President on three grounds.

This includes gross violation of a provision of this Constitution or of any other law; where there are serious reasons for believing that the Head of State has committed a crime under national or international law; or for gross misconduct.

If the motion is supported by three-thirds of the members it’s transmitted to the Senate for further interrogation by a special committee.

If the charges are substantiated, the Senate accords the President an opportunity before voting on the impeachment charges.

“If at least two-thirds of all the members of the Senate vote to uphold any impeachment charge, the President shall cease to hold office,” the law states.