Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has reportedly withdrawn as a witness for the National Assembly in Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s ‘s impeachment hearing in Senate.
The impeachment hearing enters the second day this morning, Thursday 17th October.
Sakaja, who has reportedly flew to Mexico, was listed as one of the National Assembly witnesses in the Gachagua impeachment trial, as announced by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.
In his affidavit, Sakaja had accused Gachagua of opposing the relocation of traders from Nairobi’s Wakulima Market to Kangundo Road Market.
Sakaja stated that this was a decision of the county government and not that of the office of the DP, hence Gachagua violated the principle of separation of powers.
The Nairobi Governor said in his affidavit that on or around September 20, Gachagua ‘in reckless disregard of the high calling and dignified status of the office of the DP, unlawfully interfered with the running of the NAairobi City County Government by holding a rally and inciting citizens against lawful directives in the planning and management of the markets’.
In Sakaja’s avidavit, he went on to argue that the DP has previously used ethnic incitement to interfere with the county government’s management of traffic in Nairobi especially the relocation of matatu terminals through ethnic incitement.
“Moreover, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua has interfered with the proper discharge of county governments’ constitutional functions regarding alcohol control and regulation,” part of Sakaja’s affidavit reads.
“I believe that Gachagua’s incitement and demeaning public statements and conduct are impeachable offences. They undermine devolution, the functional and institutional integrity of the county government and unjustifiably denigrate and ridicule the leadership of county governments.”
Sakaja and other key witnesses in the impeachment motion against Gachagua was expected to take to the stand to provide finer details to justify the grounds upon which Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse has premised his impeachment motion against the DP.
