A sudden adjustment in the parliamentary calendar has set the stage for a special session on Friday, October 18, 2024, where critical decisions are expected to unfold.
This has heightened speculation about a fast-tracked effort to oust Gachagua and install a new Deputy President. An excerpt of the National Assembly’s order paper seen by RTC News details the parliament’s plans to hold a special sitting on Friday.
This occurs at a time when parliament was to go on a short recess, which has now been moved to Tuesday, October 22nd. The excerpt read in part that the house will sit to consider priority business and mediated bills.
The timing of this special sitting has only fueled chatter about the National Assembly’s plot to install a new deputy president, just 24 hours after the Senate votes on DP Gachagua’s impeachment.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa has been quoted saying: “Mimi naenda kufinish kumalo, tumalize mambo ya impeachment ili tukuwe na deputy mwingine mwenye hatatuletea mambo ya aibu.” This statement further fueling the claims that the ongoing impeachment trial at the Senate is nothing but a predetermined issue.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has emerged as a strong voice of opposition to the impeachment. In his remarks made during an interview with Citizen TV on October 15, 2024, Musyoka condemned the move, arguing that the impeachment is politically motivated and already geared towards a certain outcome.
“The impeachment process is pre-determined. The National Assembly will have a special sitting on Friday which means they have already prejudged what the Senate will decide. Unless the courts stop the process, Gachagua’s goose is cooked.” Stated Kalonzo on Tuesday even before the order paper was released.
At the same time, intense lobbying from potential political players who deem themselves fit for the Deputy president post is in top gear.
Conversely, leaders such as Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Homabay Governor Gladys Wanga, Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki have thrown their weight behind the impeachment effort.
Waiguru, once a staunch defender of Mt. Kenya interests, has shifted her stance and is reportedly working with leaders loyal to President William Ruto. She is rumored to have bid farewell to Kirinyaga County Government employees last week amid the likelihood of being picked as DP staring in her direction.
Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga’s name has been whispered around political circles within the Raila Odinga corner. She is seen as the other viable female option should Waiguru’s push hit a dead end. Wanga on Tuesday hosted US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, in Homa Bay. Whitman has been a constant figure and is said to possess an influential hand in the country’s political arrangements.
Muranga Governor was today pictured with ODM leader Raila Odinga in what pundits have speculated as seeking the blessings of Odinga who is now said to be wielding sweeping powers within the Broad-Based government.
Kindiki, meanwhile, is seen as a key strategist coordinating the push to secure enough support for Gachagua’s removal. His involvement reflects how deeply entrenched this political battle has become, with factions within both Kenya Kwanza and the opposition scrambling to protect their interests.
As Friday’s session looms, the country watches with bated breath. The outcome of the impeachment proceedings will have far-reaching consequences for the country’s political sphere, particularly within the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition. Whatever the result, it is clear that the nation’s political dynamics will be significantly altered in the days to come.
