“I Feel Vindicated”: Mwengi Mutuse Breaks Silence After Court Upholds Gachagua’s Impeachment

 By Gedion Nzyoki 

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kibwezi West Member of Parliament Mwengi Mutuse has welcomed the court’s decision upholding the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, saying the ruling validates the legal foundation of the motion he sponsored in Parliament.

Mutuse, who moved the impeachment motion, made the remarks in a lengthy statement posted on his Facebook page shortly after the court delivered its ruling. He said he was satisfied with the determination of the three-judge bench, noting that it had provided clarity on key constitutional questions surrounding the impeachment process and its application to senior state officers.

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

The lawmaker said the outcome affirmed his long-held belief that the courts would not have arrived at a different conclusion regarding the legality of Gachagua’s impeachment.

At the same time, Mutuse raised fresh constitutional concerns about the implications of impeachment on political participation, questioning whether individuals removed from office should continue enjoying full political rights.

“What is the full legal significance of an impeachment? Should an impeached person be free, for example, to continue enjoying political rights under Article 38 of the Constitution, including participating in the activities of a political party, campaigning for candidates in elections, and influencing governance when they have already been found unfit to hold office?” he posed.

Mutuse argued that allowing impeached leaders to remain actively involved in politics diminishes the significance of impeachment as a constitutional accountability mechanism. Drawing a comparison with the criminal justice system, he questioned whether individuals deemed unfit to hold public office should continue wielding substantial political influence.

He further maintained that impeachment should carry consequences beyond removal from office, including restrictions on active participation in political and public affairs.

The legislator also called on Parliament to address what he described as gaps in the law governing impeachment, saying legislative reforms are necessary to clearly define the rights, responsibilities, and limitations of individuals removed from office through the process.

According to Mutuse, strengthening the legal framework would enhance accountability and eliminate ambiguities surrounding the long-term implications of impeachment in Kenya’s governance system.