On Friday, October 18, axed deputy president Rigathi Gachagua filed a petition challenging his impeachment.The DP lined up a battery of lawyers to represent him in the battle against the National Assembly Speaker, Senate Speaker, the Senate, and the Attorney General.Paul Muite, lead counsel in Gachagua’s legal team, is estimated to earn over KSh 20 million per month from legal service revenue.
Gachagua filed a petition challenging his impeachment on Friday, October 18, following the Senate’s decision to uphold the National Assembly’s vote
The DP lined up a battery of lawyers to represent him in the battle against the National Assembly Speaker, Senate Speaker, the Senate, and the Attorney General.
The lawyers are Paul Muite, Dunstan Omari, Elisha Ongoya and Ndegwa Njiru, among others. The government side is represented by former Attorney General Githu Muigai, Tom Ojienda and Eric Gumbo. Who are top lawyers in Gachagua’s case, their legal fees?
- Paul MuitePaul Muite, lead counsel in Gachagua’s legal team, is estimated to earn over KSh 20 million per month from legal service revenue. The senior counsel has over 50 years of experience. He holds a law degree from the University of London.
- James OrengoSiaya governor James Orengo was among the lead counsels representing the National Assembly in Gachagua’s impeachment case. Orengo was part of the legal team challenging President William Ruto’s 2022 win at the Supreme Court. The senior counsel reportedly charges KSh 5 million in legal fees, but this varies depending on the case.
- Dunstan Omari-Dunstan Omari is among the lawyers representing Gachagua. Omari argued that the impeachment case against Gachagua could take up to three years. Omari is one of the top-paid lawyers in Kenya, with his earnings estimated in millions of shillings. In January 2024, the High Court blocked a bank from paying OMari KSh 74 million in legal fees.
- Githu Muigai Githu Muigai is among the senior counsels representing the government in the case to impeach Gachagua. The former Attorney General was instrumental in the IEBC presidential petition case, which paid his firm KSh 34.8 million in legal fees.
- Tom Ojienda Kisumu senator Tom Ojienda is also representing the government in the case to defend Gachagua’s impeachment.The former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) boss is estimated to earn millions of shillings in legal fees.
In 2022, Ojienda sued the National Land Commission (NLC) over KSh 387 million owed in legal fees. Other lawyers in Gachagua’s impeachment case Veteran lawyer John Khaminwa, who was also involved in the DP’s impeachment case, became visibly emotional when senior counsel Githu urged him to adhere to court procedures.
Khaminwa argued that lawyers should be granted sufficient time to present their arguments in the petition involving the impeached deputy president. He stressed that the case has significantly affected the country, and for the parties involved to find a resolution, they must be allowed ample time to express themselves.
What lawyers said about Gachagua’s impeachment case Donald Kipkorir, a top-paid lawyer at an estimated KSh 1.3 billion in legal fees, defended John Khaminwa, praising him for his unwavering dedication to the rule of law and constitutionalism.
Kipkorir criticised former attorney general Githu Muigai after his courtroom exchange with Khaminwa, calling it disrespectful. Elisha Ongoya called out Kisumu senator Tom Ojienda for his remarks during the case of the impeached deputy president.
By Kenyans