Speaker Wetangula Refuses Mt Kenya MP’s Request To Withdraw Signature On Gachagua Impeachment
On Tuesday morning, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula denied Tetu Member of Parliament Geoffrey Wandeto’s request to withdraw his signature from the impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
While addressing the legislators, Wetangula clarified that a lawmaker could not reverse their initial decision on a special motion such as the one presented to Parliament.
According to the speaker, the standing orders were very clear about the procedure for withdrawing a signature pending a special motion.
The speaker urged the legislator to review the regulations before making the plea.
Once you append your signature to a special motion, you can’t withdraw it – Speaker Wetangula to MPs seeking to withdraw their signature supporting DP Gachagua's impeachment pic.twitter.com/TVdyKzRNJ1
— Kenyans.co.ke (@Kenyans) October 8, 2024
“I have received a letter from Honourable Wandeto purporting to withdraw his signature,” Wetangula stated.
“I want to invite the honourable member to read the standing orders that are very clear, once you append your signature to a special motion, you have crossed the rubicon, and you cannot withdraw the signature.”
In his speech, the speaker also took a swipe at the deputy president after his controversial press conference held in Karen, Nairobi on Monday.
Wetangula described Gachagua’s sentiments as abhorrent in light of the events that began on Tuesday morning.
Wetangula went on to read all eleven accusations leveled against DP Gachagua, paving the way for parliamentary debate on the charges.
DP Gachagua is scheduled to appear before the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon, where he will be given two hours to defend himself against all of the charges leveled against him.
The speaker’s comments come just hours after DP Gachagua cleared the air on all of the allegations.
According to the DP, the attempt to remove him from office was politically motivated and had nothing to do with a violation of the Constitution.
“It is very important that the people who elected me as DP get my response of the very outrageous accusations against their DP that have no basis, that is sheer propaganda,” Gachagua commented in a televised presser.
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In his press conference, Gachagua also denied allegations that he amassed over Ksh5.2 billion over the last two years.
The DP noted that the majority of the wealth mentioned by legislator Mwengi Mutuse in his ouster motion belonged to the DP’s deceased brother.
“The motion alleges that two years after assuming office, Rigathi Gachagua has acquired property and wealth whose estimated value is Ksh5.2 billion despite his known income by way of employment being Ksh24 million,” Gachagua commented.
“This is extremely outrageous. Hon Mutuse goes ahead to give properties that he alleges are owned by Rigathi Gachagua. I trust he was given a document to sign, had he taken some bit of time to do some research.”
Speaker Wetangula Refuses Mt Kenya MP’s Request To Withdraw Signature On Gachagua Impeachment
