Gachagua Impeachment – Justices Eric Ogola, Anthony Mrima, and Freda Mugambi dismissed former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s request for their recusal from cases challenging his impeachment, stating there was no evidence of bias.
The decision came after Gachagua’s legal team claimed potential prejudice, especially from Justice Mrima due to perceived associations with political figures.
Despite these objections, the court decided the judges would continue to oversee the petitions questioning the legality of his impeachment process.
The court has granted petitioners a five-day period to file any additional information or amendments to their cases.
Gachagua’s legal team has argued that the impeachment process lacked adequate public participation, a constitutional requirement, which they claim was mishandled by the National Assembly.
This includes a dispute over a rushed process and minimal citizen involvement. In response, the Assembly maintains that Gachagua was given due opportunity to defend himself during their proceedings, suggesting that the petitions are part of a strategic delay to halt the proceedings.
Deputy Chief Justice appointed the three-judge bench following multiple petitions raising constitutional concerns, including claims of rights violations and lack of transparency in the impeachment process.
The petitions argue that the public’s input, required for such high-stakes government decisions, was insufficient, leading Gachagua’s team to seek a halt in the proceedings. However, opposing parties, including the Senate, assert that the court should not interfere with constitutionally timed processes.