Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has strongly criticised the High Court’s ruling that upheld the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, terming it “gravely disappointing” and insisting that the battle for justice is far from over.
The three-judge bench in Nairobi on Monday maintained that Gachagua’s impeachment was constitutionally valid, despite acknowledging violations of his right to a fair hearing during Senate proceedings.
The court awarded him KSh50 million in damages over the breach but declined to overturn the removal from office.
Reacting to the judgment, Maina dismissed the compensation as irrelevant to the broader constitutional questions raised in the case, saying the focus remained on the integrity of institutional processes.
“We cannot allow this to pass. It is unfortunate, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. We shall get going,” she said.
“We are not here for the money; it is not about the money; it is about the integrity of the Constitution. It is about the integrity of the processes that are undertaken by our institutions that are governed by law.”
She further rejected the suggestion that the monetary award provided closure to the matter, urging Gachagua not to accept the compensation.
According to her, the case was never about financial gain but about accountability and constitutional compliance.
“I would not recommend Gachagua to take the 50 million. I know Gachagua very well; he would not take that. We did not come to court to get awarded monies; we came here for justice,” she said.
Maina also defended Gachagua’s absence during the court proceedings, stating that it was not mandatory for him to attend. She added that his legal team had taken precautionary measures amid what she described as heightened political tension and speculation.
“Our client was watching from home with his family. It is not mandatory that the client attend. Given that there was propaganda that there could be something planned, we would not want him implicated in anything,” she said.
She described Gachagua as a “peace-loving Kenyan” who had urged his supporters to accept the ruling calmly, even as preparations begin for an appeal.
“He has called upon his supporters to take whatever the outcome, knowing that we shall proceed to the Court of Appeal,” Maina said.
Despite the High Court’s findings that Parliament substantially complied with constitutional requirements, including public participation, Maina maintained that serious procedural gaps remained unaddressed. She indicated that the legal team will challenge the ruling at the appellate court.