The Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula on Tuesday morning dismissed Tetu Member of Parliament Geoffrey Wandeto's request to withdraw his signature from the motion to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Wetangula while addressing the legislators, clarified that a lawmaker could not withdraw their initial decision on a special motion such as the one tabled before Parliament.
According to the speaker, the standing orders were very clear on the guidelines for withdrawing a signature impended on a special motion. The speaker called on the legislator to go through the regulations before making the plea.
"I have received a letter from Honourable Wandeto purporting to withdraw his signature. 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," Wetangula stated.
In his speech, the speaker also took a swipe at the deputy president following his controversial presser held at the latter's residence in Karen, Nairobi on Monday. Wetangula termed Gachagua's sentiments as abhorrent in light of the proceedings that commenced on Tuesday morning.
Wetangula went ahead to read all the eleven accusations levelled against DP Gachagua paving the way for the parliamentary deliberations on the said charges.
DP Gachagua is set to appear before the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon during which he will be granted two hours to defend himself against all the charges levelled against him
The speaker's sentiments come hours after DP Gachagua set the record straight on all the charges in question. According to the DP, the scheme to remove him from office was politically orchestrated and had nothing to do with the 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.
Gachagua in his presser also dismissed allegations that he amassed over Ksh5.2 billion over the past two years noting that most of the wealth highlighted by the 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."
