NAIROBI, Kenya- Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been awarded Sh50 million in compensation after the High Court found that his rights were violated during the Senate proceedings that led to his impeachment.
In its judgment delivered on Monday, the court ordered the Senate to pay Gachagua KSh50 million as a remedy for the violation of his constitutional rights during the impeachment trial.
The judges found that although the impeachment process met several constitutional requirements, including public participation, Gachagua’s rights were infringed during the Senate proceedings.
The court consequently awarded monetary compensation to the former Deputy President and directed that the amount be paid by the Senate.
The ruling forms part of the High Court’s judgment in consolidated petitions challenging Gachagua’s impeachment and the subsequent appointment of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
The judgment addressed several issues raised by the petitioners, including public participation, allegations of bias, the conduct of parliamentary proceedings and claims of violations of constitutional rights.
Earlier in the judgment, the court found that the National Assembly conducted constitutionally sufficient public participation and that allegations of bias, predetermination and conflict of interest against parliamentary leaders and lawmakers had not been proved.
The court also ruled that public participation was not required in the nomination of Kindiki as Deputy President following the vacancy created by Gachagua’s removal from office.
Gachagua was impeached by Parliament in October 2024 after the National Assembly approved an impeachment motion and the Senate subsequently upheld charges against him.
The former Deputy President challenged the impeachment through a series of petitions, arguing that his constitutional rights had been violated during the process.
The High Court’s judgment was delivered by a three-judge bench hearing the consolidated petitions.
