𝐆𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐚’𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞:𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞!

In a surprising twist of events, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has decided to withdraw two constitutional petitions challenging his impeachment.

The reason? Well, according to Gachagua, these petitions have been overtaken by events. Represented by Senior Counsel Paul Muite and advocate Victor Swanya, Gachagua filed a notice at the High Court addressing the Deputy Registrar, stating his intention to discontinue the petitions filed prior to his official removal from office by Parliament.

These petitions, namely Nairobi Petition No. E522 of 2024 and Nairobi Petition No. E509 of 2024, were part of a larger group of consolidated pre-impeachment challenges.But that’s not all – Gachagua’s allies also followed suit, withdrawing two more petitions, making it a total of four discontinued cases.

This move comes at a critical time, as Gachagua and his legal team are gearing up to proceed with seven other petitions filed post-impeachment. These ongoing cases are expected to test the legal and constitutional framework surrounding the impeachment process, potentially setting a precedent for future political accountability proceedings.

In light of recent events, the Court of Appeal’s directive has led to a shakeup in the judicial bench assigned to Gachagua’s post-impeachment cases. With the previous bench invalidated, Chief Justice Martha Koome now faces the challenge of appointing a new bench to hear the petitions filed after Gachagua’s official impeachment by Parliament.

THE EDITOR’S PICK!

As the legal drama unfolds, one thing is clear – Gachagua’s decision to withdraw some petitions while pursuing others signals a strategic legal maneuver that could have far-reaching implications on the future of political accountability in Kenya.