MUTUSE: GACHAGUA IMPEACHMENT UPHELD, BUT ACCOUNTABILITY MUST GO FURTHER

The Hon. Eckomas Mwengi Mutuse, OGW, the duly elected Member of Parliament for Kibwezi West Constituency, has welcomed the High Court's decision to uphold the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, describing the ruling as a vindication of the constitutional process he initiated in Parliament.

As the mover of the historic impeachment motion, Hon. Mutuse said he had always been confident that the courts would affirm the decision reached by Parliament. He commended the three-judge bench for providing a comprehensive interpretation of the law governing impeachment and constitutional accountability.

According to the legislator, the judgment now opens a broader national conversation on the consequences of impeachment and whether the current legal framework adequately addresses the status of leaders removed from office through such a process.

Speaking after the ruling, Hon. Mutuse stated:

“I was certain that our courts could not have arrived at any other finding than to uphold the impeachment of Mr. Rigathi Gachagua, our former Deputy President.

As the mover of the impeachment motion, I feel vindicated and congratulate the three-judge bench for comprehensively clarifying the law on impeachment.”

The Kibwezi West MP argued that the ruling now raises important constitutional and legislative questions regarding the full legal significance of impeachment.

In his view, Kenyans must interrogate whether a person removed from office through impeachment should continue enjoying unrestricted political rights under Article 38 of the Constitution, including participating in political party activities, campaigning for candidates during elections, and exerting influence on matters of governance after being found unfit to hold public office.

Hon. Mutuse questioned whether such a situation undermines the very essence of impeachment as a constitutional accountability mechanism.

“Isn't this akin to a convict in a criminal trial walking freely in the streets instead of serving their sentence through incarceration?” he posed.

The legislator maintained that impeachment should carry meaningful consequences beyond mere removal from office. He expressed the view that individuals who have been impeached should refrain from active public life in order to preserve the integrity of public institutions and strengthen public confidence in constitutional accountability processes.

Hon. Mutuse further called for legislative reforms to address gaps identified by the High Court and to provide greater clarity on the legal and political implications of impeachment.

He urged Parliament and other stakeholders to consider strengthening the legal framework governing impeachment so that it achieves its intended constitutional purpose while safeguarding the integrity of public office.

The remarks are expected to spark renewed debate on the balance between constitutional rights and political accountability, particularly on whether impeachment should only result in removal from office or whether it should attract broader restrictions on future political participation.

For Hon. Eckomas Mwengi Mutuse, OGW, MP for Kibwezi West Constituency, the court's affirmation of the impeachment is not the end of the matter but the beginning of a wider national conversation on leadership, accountability, and the standards expected of those entrusted with high public office.