Nairobi — Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua will know his destiny today as Senators put together to vote on his impeachment costs.
The lawsuits, which is ready to gape witnesses defective-examined before Gachagua delivers his final defence, will culminate in a prime vote on every of the 11 costs.
These costs consist of sinful misconduct, abuse of state of business, corruption, and mismanagement of public sources, and the Senate’s decision will resolve whether or now now not the Deputy President will be impeached or acquitted.
Gachagua, who has denied the full costs, appeared before the Senate on Wednesday, the place his pretty workforce mounted an spectacular defence.
Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, the mover of the impeachment motion, confronted intense scrutiny for the length of defective-examination by Gachagua’s lead lawyer, Elisha Ongoya. Mutuse, who accused Gachagua of collecting a Sh5.2 billion fortune since taking state of business, turned into once challenged to substantiate his claims.
Ongoya pressed Mutuse on how he arrived on the resolve, accusing him of lacking the journey to beget such valuations.
“Who gave you the value of Ksh.5.2 billion?” Ongoya questioned sharply, prompting Mutuse to admit that the resolve turned into once an estimate in response to land and property values. Ongoya paradoxically requested whether or now now not Mutuse turned into once performing as a lawyer or a property valuer, extra undermining the credibility of his claims.
Tensions escalated when Mutuse turned into once confronted with paperwork revealing that one of many major properties cited in the motion–Vipingo Sea trek Resort–turned into once owned by Gachagua’s leisurely brother, James Nderitu Gachagua, in need to the Deputy President himself. This revelation led to accusations that Mutuse had misrepresented info in the impeachment motion.
“Is the DP speaking the truth when he says his late brother owns Vipingo Beach Resort?” Ongoya requested. Mutuse, after some hesitation, admitted that the property did certainly belong to the leisurely Nderitu Gachagua.
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To boot to to the property allegations, Mutuse turned into once furthermore pressed to present evidence that Gachagua had aged proxies to catch a Ksh.3.7 billion mosquito rep tender through KEMSA. The motion claims Gachagua compelled KEMSA officials to award the tender to Crystal Ltd, a firm desirous about a untrue expose bond, but Mutuse struggled to beget clear proof to fortify this direct.
One other contentious mission alive to Gachagua’s controversial public statements, including a comparison of the country to a firm with shareholders, which Mutuse cited for event of misconduct. On the other hand, Ongoya pointed to the Kenya Kwanza coalition agreement, which outlines political celebration allocations, extra weakening Mutuse’s argument.
The impeachment trial furthermore revolves around Gachagua’s swiftly acquisition of excessive-worth properties, corresponding to Outspan Hotel, Olive Gardens Hotel, and Treetops Hotel, with Mutuse claiming that the lunge of those acquisitions raises suspicions of impropriety.
He furthermore accused Gachagua of diverting public sources, including a avenue construction mission, to his non-public Vipingo property.
