'We have faith in the Judiciary,' Gachagua says amid impeachment appeal

Impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has expressed confidence in the Judiciary's ability to deliver justice as he appeals his removal from office.

Speaking in Limuru, Kiambu County on Wednesday during the burial of Mwalimu Geoffrey Murugami, Gachagua urged Kenyans to maintain peace, regardless of the case’s outcome.

"We have faith that our Judiciary will protect and uphold the Constitution of Kenya and will exercise fairness and give justice to Rigathi Gachagua and his supporters. That is our prayer," said Gachagua.

He further urged his supporters, particularly in the Mt. Kenya region, to foster unity among all communities, emphasising that Kenya is greater than any individual.

"I want to ask for peace, more so to my people of the Mt. Kenya region; please, remain peaceful. Love one another, stay well with all other regions and communities. They have not wronged us; they are our friends," he said.

"Kenya is bigger than all of us and we don't have another Kenya. Irrespective of what will happen in the outcome of the court process, let our people remain peaceful and build our country."

This comes after Gachagua on Monday filed a petition with the Court of Appeal expressing his dissatisfaction with a ruling delivered last week by a three-judge bench.

Gachagua argued that the ruling, which stated that Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu had the authority to constitute the bench to adjudicate his impeachment, is incorrect, mistaken, and based on a serious misinterpretation of the Constitution.

The impeached Deputy President now seeks a stay of the High Court proceedings pending the hearing and determination of his application.

He argued: “Unless the said orders are issued, any delay will result in irreparable prejudice to the Applicant's rights to a fair trial and hearing, ultimately leading to the loss of the substratum of his Petition E565 of 2024. This would render both the intended appeal and Petition E565 of 2024 nugatory, superfluous, and moot.”