Political analyst Sandra Njoki has criticized the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, particularly focusing on the cross-examination of Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, who initiated the motion for Gachagua’s ouster.
According to Njoki, the cross-examination, conducted by Gachagua’s legal team, was biased and unprofessional. She expressed concern over what she described as an intimidating and bullying approach by the Deputy President’s lawyers, which she believes undermined the impartiality of the process.
Njoki revealed an exchange between Advocate Elisha Ongaya and Mutuse during the session, where Ongaya questioned the MP on a specific incident involving Gachagua and High Court Judge Esther Maina.
Gachagua was accused of attempting to file a suspension case against Judge Maina, who was overseeing his corruption trial. Instead of addressing the accusation directly, Ongaya repeatedly asked Mutuse whether he was aware that Gachagua’s lawyers had submitted certain documents to the commission.
Mutuse, however, maintained that the issue was not about the Deputy President’s submissions but rather the legal process itself. According to him, if Gachagua had a problem with a court decision, the proper course of action would be to appeal rather than threaten the judge involved.
Njoki criticized Ongaya’s cross-examination style, arguing that it appeared more focused on discrediting Mutuse than addressing the substantive issues behind the impeachment motion. She pointed out that such tactics only serve to confuse the public and obscure the real facts that should guide the Senate in its decision-making process. In her view, an objective and fair hearing is essential if the country is to reach a consensus on the matter.
The cross-examination session, which took place on Wednesday, lasted over two hours and covered the 11 accusations that Mutuse brought before Parliament in his motion to impeach Gachagua. One of the central points of contention was the claim that Gachagua had accumulated a personal fortune of KSh 5.2 billion since assuming the role of Deputy President.
Ongaya, representing Gachagua, challenged Mutuse to substantiate this figure, expressing disbelief at the amount and pressing for details on how the sum was calculated. Mutuse eventually admitted that the figure was derived from estimates of land values and other properties associated with the Deputy President, though he struggled to provide concrete evidence.
By Kenyans