The National Assembly on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, was forced to adjourn its morning session due to lack of quorum.

This comes just a day after over 300 Members of Parliament (MPs) attended the debate and voting on the special motion that sought to remove Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office by impeachment.

During the Tuesday evening session, 281 MPs voted to impeach DP Gachagua, with 44 others voting in his favour while one chose to abstain.

However, the lawmakers were nowhere to be seen during the Wednesday morning session.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to ring the quorum bell for ten minutes.

National Assembly quorum

Due to a lack of quorum, the National Assembly stood adjourned until 2:30 pm.

Article 121(1) of the Constitution provides that the quorum for the National Assembly shall be 50 members, or fifteen members, in the case of the Senate.

The National Assembly will resume its business in the afternoon, after meeting the quorum.

Gachagua impeachment

The Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge has since submitted the House Resolution on a special motion on the removal from office by the impeachment of DP Rigathi Gachagua.

The motion that was moved by Kibwezi West lawmaker Mwengi Mutuse got support from 281 members while 44 opposed it.

𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐇.𝐄. 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢 𝐆𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞

The Clerk of the National Assembly… pic.twitter.com/LueojQUgFE

— National Assembly KE (@NAssemblyKE) October 9, 2024

Gachagua impeachment in Senate

The Speaker of the Senate Amason Kingi has since designated this Wednesday’s Senate session to address the charges in the proposed impeachment of Gachagua.

In a gazette notice dated Wednesday, October 9, 2024, Kingi stated that he had appointed the Wednesday, October 9, 2024, senate sitting to hear the charges that have been levelled against Gachagua.

“Pursuant to Article 145 (3) (a) of the Constitution and Standing Order 78 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders, I appoint the sitting of the Senate of Wednesday, 9th October, 2024 at 9.30 am. as the sitting convened for the purpose of hearing the charges in the matter of the proposed removal from office by impeachment of His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua, E.G.H., Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya,” the gazette notice reads.

The Senate must now conduct the hearing within seven days to either confirm or reject the National Assembly’s decision to impeach Gachagua.