MPs allied to William Ruto claim plan to impeach DP aimed at installing Raila Odinga as Deputy President

MPs expose plot to have Raila deputise Uhuru after Ruto's impeachment

Mumbi Mutuko

March 26, 2019 1:22 PM

MPs hold a presser to reveal alleged plot

MPs allied to DP William Ruto hold presser over his alleged impeachment (Twitter)

16 MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto have alleged that the planned impeachment of the DP is only a plot to have AU envoy Raila Odinga as President Uhuru Kenyatta's deputy.

The MPs made these remarks on Tuesday at a presser held in Parliament amid claims by Senate Minority leader James Orengo, that legislators would impeach Dr Ruto.

Orengo had stated that he would mobilize legislators both from Jubilee and NASA to support an impeachment motion against the DP for “gross misconduct”.

MPs allied to DP William Ruto hold presser over his alleged impeachment (Twitter) Pulse Live Kenya

Corruption allegations

He accused DP Ruto of refusing to resign in the wake of corruption allegations against him.

Although none of the claims against Dr Ruto has been proven in court or elsewhere and neither has there been any official communication that he is under any investigation.

However, Orengo said his move had the support of a good number of legislators across the political divide.

This would not be easy for Senator Orengo since the Constitution states that to impeach a deputy president, a member of the National Assembly must have the support of at least a third of all the members before moving the motion.

Tough removal process

President Uhuru Kenyatta with NASA leader Raila Odinga Pulse Live Kenya

The grounds for removal are gross violation of the Constitution or any other law and gross misconduct.

If the motion is approved by the Speaker, Parliament must convene a meeting of the Senate to hear the charges against the DP, after which a committee of 11 senators will investigate the allegations.

Senator Orengo is pegging his argument on article 150(1)(b) of the Constitution, which provides for removing a deputy president through a political process, and not necessarily through legal means in court.

Mumbi Mutuko