The pot calling the kettle black as Wetangula blasts Gachagua for doing same thing he did

Speaker Moses Wetangula, during Tuesday's sitting to debate on the ouster motion, scoffed at Gachagua's Monday night media briefing for addressing a motion still alive in Parliament and taking a position outside the House.

Wetangula termed Gachagua's address as "abhorrent" and inappropriate, noting that he should have exercised restraint until the House decided the matter.

"I will not act as a judge in this matter, but I must put on record that the Deputy President’s conduct was, to say the least, abhorrent, especially considering the ongoing parliamentary proceedings," Wetangula stated during the session.

Wetangula's statement however falls in the footsteps of sentiments he made earlier during a church service in Machakos County on September 29, as he seemingly showed support for the impeachment move.

"We must know that our diversity is the source of our strength and that is how we shall live. If there is anyone who wants to disrupt the peace of the nation, they should be removed because we want peace for everybody," Wetangula said.

“I urge leaders to avoid politics that fragment our nation along ethnic or regional lines. Our Constitution states that every Kenyan has the right to live, own property, and enjoy peace everywhere in the country. We must remember that our diversity is the source of our strength.”

Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei was also scampering to defend herself against her brazen remarks against DP Gachagua's ouster after saying that she would be on the front line of showing him the door. 

"I am putting you Rigathi Gachagua on notice. You are going to be impeached and I am going to be in charge of the impeachment," Sholei stated during a public address in Uasin Gishu on September 23.

Gachagua therefore blasted the Deputy Speaker during his press address, accusing her of being biased and posed to compromise the integrity of the impeachment hearing.

Making her submissions, Shollei argued that she made her sentiments in her capacity as the Uasin Gishu Woman representative and not as the Deputy Speaker.

"I want to confirm that I am not biased at all. When I made the statement I made them as Members of Parliament of Uasin Gishu County and not as Deputy Speaker. You cannot accuse me of bias if I make those statements from the speaker's chair," she said.

"I am first an MP before I am Speaker."

The matter was even raised in Parliament on October 1 during the tabling of the impeachment motion as Wetangula and Shollei were forced to clarify their stance on the matter.

Marakwet West MP Timothy Kipchumba Toroitich urged the duo to recuse themselves, saying that their comments on the matter showed a bias that could jeopardize the fairness of the hearing.

"As a neutral arbiter, Mr. Speaker, it is on record that you and the Deputy Speaker have taken sides on this matter. To ensure the Deputy President receives a fair hearing, would it be in order for both of you to recuse yourselves from this matter so that the Deputy President can be given a fair hearing before this house?” Toroitich posed.

In his rebuttal, Wetangula maintained that he would exercise neutrality while overseeing the hearing.

"I am not conflicted in any way, I have no vote in this matter, I have no dog in this fight. And I can assure you that the proceedings will proceed in accordance with fairness, the law and rules on natural justice," he said.

He further urged MPs and all involved parties, including Gachagua, to refrain from engaging in the matter outside the House.

DP Gachagua is expected to appear before MPs on Tuesday evening to stage a defence against the 11 counts he is facing including gross misconduct, violation of the Constitution, undermining the presidency, and corruption among others. 

He has assembled a battery of 20 advocates including senior counsels to defend him in parliament.

Meanwhile, he has maintained that he will not fold to the calls for resignation and will remain steadfast in serving Kenyans.