Members of Parliament are demanding assurances regarding their security following the tabling of an impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed called on Speaker Moses Wetangula on Tuesday to coordinate with the newly appointed Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, to ensure the safety of the 291 MPs who supported the impeachment motion.
The outspoken lawmaker claimed that some MPs had expressed concerns about backing the motion, given that it involves removing the country’s second-in-command. He likened the ouster to the United States’ removal of Donald Trump, emphasizing that lawmakers should be afforded security both within Parliament and in their personal lives.
“I want to get your assurance as the boss of this House that the 291 MPs who have signed this motion will have their safety and security guaranteed because the motion does not end at the notice; it will go through to voting,” Junet stated. “We want those 291 MPs to turn up here on the day of voting without any one of them missing. We have just passed the IG of Police, Mr. Kanja, to guarantee the safety of the 291 MPs. What we are doing is not a small thing; when Trump was being removed from the US, we knew what it was trying to do. Let us not begrudge anyone because what the House is doing is constitutional. When the MPs were signing, that is what they told me: we are in support, but we want things done legally inside and outside Parliament.”
Dadaab MP Farah Maalim echoed Junet’s sentiments, asserting that protection should also extend to President William Ruto, who would be expected to assent to the motion if the Deputy President were ousted. Maalim claimed he has intel suggesting that unnamed individuals might attempt reckless actions to alter the outcome of the motion by eliminating the President, potentially allowing the Deputy President to assume power.
“Not only do we need to protect the 291 MPs who have appended their signatures, but we must also protect the system; the IG must protect the President because we know the type of Constitution we have. Any reckless thug might want to change the course of history. God forbid, if anything were to happen to our President,” Maalim said. “There are people that we are so worried about lately, and I get the feeling that they can even have the capacity to plan something like that… if something were to happen, then we have much bigger problems to worry about.”
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who has had conflicts with the Deputy President, similarly urged security organs to ensure that MPs are protected inside and outside Parliament. Ichung’wah referenced the historic storming of Parliament during the Gen Z demonstrations, insisting that security forces should enhance measures to guarantee the safety of elected members.
“The security of MPs is paramount. On June 25th, you, Mr. Speaker, are a target for elimination based on the position you hold. You must direct the IG, who was approved by this House, to ensure that when this House is sitting, inside and outside, members are secured, even in their houses. We are not dealing with an ordinary man but a black man with a very black heart,” he noted.
Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse formally tabled the impeachment motion against Gachagua in Parliament on Tuesday, presenting grounds substantial enough to justify his removal from office. Speaker Wetangula confirmed that 291 MPs had supported the motion, surpassing the required threshold of at least 117 lawmakers for any motion to be tabled. Mutuse submitted a comprehensive 100-page document, indicating that he possessed sufficient evidence to support his claims and demonstrate that Gachagua was unfit to remain in office.
