CJ Koome Appoints Three-Judge Bench to Hear Petitions Against Gachagua Impeachment

Chief Justice Martha Koome has appointed a three-judge bench to hear five petitions aimed at stopping the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. The bench will be led by Justice Erick Ogola, with Justices Antony Mrima and Dr. Frida Mugambi joining him.

Gachagua, represented by Senior Counsel Paul Muite, is contesting the impeachment on several grounds, primarily citing a lack of public participation. His legal team argues that Parliament's standing orders only allowed a seven-day window to address the matter before sending it to the Senate, which Muite claims was insufficient for proper public engagement.

Additionally, Gachagua's lawyers assert that he was not given adequate time to prepare his defense, suggesting he should have been granted at least 12 days to respond to the allegations. On the other hand, Benson Millimo, representing the National Assembly, defended the process, insisting that Parliament followed the constitutional procedure and passed the resolution lawfully.

The court will now rule on whether Parliament adhered to the legal standards in the impeachment process.