NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Assembly has extended the public participation period for the impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, allowing more time for citizens to submit their views.
Initially scheduled to close on Friday, the exercise will now continue through Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
This extension, announced by the Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge, will facilitate further participation across all 290 Constituency Offices and 47 County Women Representative Offices.
These offices, under the Parliamentary Service Commission, have been tasked with collecting public feedback for onward submission to the Office of the Clerk.
“The 290 Constituency Offices and 47 County Women Representative Offices will remain open on Saturday to allow additional public input on the Special Motion,” Njoroge stated, emphasizing the importance of broad-based public engagement.
The move follows a court order from the Kerugoya High Court, issued by Justice Richard Mwongo, which directed Parliament to ensure public hearings at the constituency level.
The judge’s ruling was in response to a petition by Kirinyaga Woman Representative Jane Njeri Maina, who argued that the initial arrangement of holding public hearings only in 47 county centres was insufficient to meet constitutional requirements for meaningful public participation.
Justice Mwongo ruled that while the hearings scheduled for Friday, October 4, could proceed as planned, Parliament was obligated to organize additional hearings at the constituency level.
He cited Supreme Court precedents on public participation, noting that such engagement must be extensive and allow citizens across the country to meaningfully contribute to the process.
The public participation exercise was initially launched on October 2, 2024, but concerns were raised about its limited reach.
With the court’s intervention, Parliament has expanded the process to ensure that every constituency across the country has an opportunity to weigh in on the motion against the Deputy President.
Initially scheduled to close on Friday, the exercise will now continue through Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
This extension, announced by the Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge, will facilitate further participation across all 290 Constituency Offices and 47 County Women Representative Offices.
These offices, under the Parliamentary Service Commission, have been tasked with collecting public feedback for onward submission to the Office of the Clerk.
“The 290 Constituency Offices and 47 County Women Representative Offices will remain open on Saturday to allow additional public input on the Special Motion,” Njoroge stated, emphasizing the importance of broad-based public engagement.
The move follows a court order from the Kerugoya High Court, issued by Justice Richard Mwongo, which directed Parliament to ensure public hearings at the constituency level.
The judge’s ruling was in response to a petition by Kirinyaga Woman Representative Jane Njeri Maina, who argued that the initial arrangement of holding public hearings only in 47 county centres was insufficient to meet constitutional requirements for meaningful public participation.
Justice Mwongo ruled that while the hearings scheduled for Friday, October 4, could proceed as planned, Parliament was obligated to organize additional hearings at the constituency level.
He cited Supreme Court precedents on public participation, noting that such engagement must be extensive and allow citizens across the country to meaningfully contribute to the process.
The public participation exercise was initially launched on October 2, 2024, but concerns were raised about its limited reach.
With the court’s intervention, Parliament has expanded the process to ensure that every constituency across the country has an opportunity to weigh in on the motion against the Deputy President.
