Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse has welcomed the High Court decision upholding the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, saying the ruling has vindicated the process he initiated in Parliament.
In a statement issued on Monday, June 8, 2026, Mutuse congratulated the three-judge bench for what he described as a comprehensive clarification of the law on impeachment, arguing that the court could not have reached any other conclusion.
“As the mover of the impeachment motion, I feel vindicated and congratulate the three-judge bench for comprehensively clarifying the law on impeachment,” he said.
Political consequences
The legislator, however, said the court’s decision should spark a broader national debate on the legal and political consequences of impeachment, particularly regarding the rights of impeached state officers to continue participating in public and political life.
Mutuse questioned whether individuals removed from office through impeachment should continue enjoying political rights under Article 38 of the Constitution, including taking part in political party activities, campaigning for candidates, and influencing governance.
“What is the full legal significance of an impeachment? Should an impeached person be free, for example, to continue enjoying political rights under Article 38 of the Constitution, including participating in the activities of a political party, campaigning for candidates in elections, and influencing governance when they have already been found unfit to hold office?” he posed.
Drawing a comparison with criminal proceedings, the MP argued that allowing impeached leaders to remain active in politics undermines the purpose of the impeachment process.
“Isn’t this akin to a convict in a criminal trial walking freely in the streets instead of serving their sentence through incarceration?” he asked.
Mutuse maintained that impeached individuals should stay away from active public life and called for legislative reforms to address what he termed gaps in the current legal framework.
“In my humble view, an impeached person should stay away from all forms of active public life. This should be a key focus area when addressing the legislative gaps identified by the High Court,” he said.
His remarks come in the wake of the court’s ruling affirming Gachagua’s impeachment, a decision that has reignited debate over the political future of leaders removed from office through constitutional processes.
