The Supreme Court of Kenya has issued a landmark ruling in the impeachment saga of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, striking out applications from both Gachagua and the National Assembly of Kenya.
In its January 30 ruling, the court clarified that its role is limited to determining whether the High Court bench was properly constituted.
It emphasized that impeachment proceedings remain active at the High Court and cannot be suspended by the Supreme Court, which only has authority over matters pending before the Court of Appeal. As a result, Gachagua’s broad application was dismissed.
The court also noted that the National Assembly’s appeal raised substantive issues that require a full hearing and declined to remove certain documents already relied upon by lower courts.
A separate application from the Assembly was dismissed, allowing Gachagua’s cross-appeal to proceed.
Gachagua was impeached in October 2024 following a Senate vote on a motion from the National Assembly. Although a successor had been nominated, court orders temporarily blocked the appointment.
The High Court is now set to continue hearing the dispute, keeping the impeachment case very much active.
This ruling reinforces the separation of powers between Kenya’s courts and highlights the procedural limits of the Supreme Court in active High Court matters, leaving the next steps of the impeachment to the ongoing judicial process.
Tags
Politics