New twist, as Kenyan court halts impeachment of Dep. President

A Kenyan High Court has temporarily halted the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua after he was impeached on Thursday by the country’s Senate following a petition citing “monumental constitutional issues.”

The senators had voted to remove Gachagua from office on allegations of corruption despite his failure to testify at his impeachment trial after his lawyer said he had been taken to hospital.

In what political experts described as one of the most dramatic scenes in Kenya’s political history, Gachagua had been due to appear in the Senate to defend himself on Thursday, a day after he had pleaded not guilty to 11 charges but despite his ill health, the lawmakers went ahead to impeach him.

But on Friday, Gachagua approached the court to halt the implementation of his impeachment and presiding Judge, Chacha Mwita, ruled to temporarily pause the impeachment process pending a hearing.

Mwita also ordered the suspension of the appointment of Interior Minister, Kithure Kindiki, who had been nominated as the new deputy president by President William Ruto even after his appointment had been approved by the National Assembly.

In reaching the verdict, Judge Mwita said the constitutional significance of the case raised fundamental constitutional issues concerning the rule of law and human rights.

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