After listening to the impeachment motion tabled by Mwengi Mutuse, the member of parliament for Kibwezi West Constituency last week and the thorough response by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua today that made each point of the motion appear foolish and childish, it is evident that the Kenyan parliament has been reduced to be a rubber stamp of President William Ruto.
It was agonizing to hear and read that the parliament leadership including Moses Wetangula, the Speaker, and his deputy Gladys Boss Shollei proudly stated that they support the impeachment even before the motion was tabled in parliament.
That alone negates the key role that they are expected to play in guiding parliamentarians to respect the constitution. In a press conference lasting for more than two hours, DP Gachagua, addressed each of the eleven points in the impeachment motion.
He used several documents (some of which are available in the public domain) to make a mockery of the impeachment motion. It will be interesting to hear how Mutuse and the other Ruto puppets will respond.
As we await the response from parliament to the DP’s press statements, it is important to remind the Kenyan MPs that as stated in the constitution, parliament was established to act as a counterbalance to the powers of the President (not to rubberstamp the same), ensuring that executive actions are scrutinized and that the interests of citizens are prioritized.
Its primary functions include law-making, oversight of the executive, and representation of the electorate. In the last two years, the independence of Kenyan parliament has been eroded and the lawmakers reduced to spanner boys for their vindictive leader.
Today, Ruto wields considerable influence over Parliament, often using patronage to secure loyalty from MPs. This has regularly manifested itself in the form of appointments, funding for constituency projects, or promises of government contracts, effectively silencing dissenting voices and ensuring compliance with executive agendas.
A case in point was when he landed from an international trip to Germany and went straight to Nyeri to woo the local MPs so that they can vote in favor of impeaching their son.
This they did but I am pleased to note that as I write this, three of them (John Kaguchia, Geoffrey Wandeto and Rahab Mukami) have seen the light and agreed to vote no. Others need to follow.
In his conniving ways, Ruto ensured that there is no meaningful opposition by “buying out” the members of the opposition party including their leader Raila Odinga. He then went on to weaken the oversight role by making sure that there was a lack of resources and institutional capacity.
He made sure that committees meant to scrutinize executive actions often lack the necessary funding, expertise, or political will to challenge the government effectively. This limitation hampers the Parliament’s ability to hold the executive accountable.
Interestingly, the executive frequently employs urgency in passing legislation on motions and bills that favor them, especially during periods when significant political or economic changes are underway.
This tactic limits thorough debate and scrutiny, allowing the government to push through controversial laws with minimal resistance.
Historically, when Parliament fails to function as a check on the executive, it undermines the principles of accountability and transparency that are essential for a healthy democracy. This is often followed by public apathy where citizens have become disillusioned with the political process.
They perceive their representatives as ineffective or complicit in the executive’s actions, leading to decreased political engagement and voter turnout. This was the case in the recently held public participation on the impeachment motion.
Interestingly, this sham public participation turned out to be a referendum on Ruto’s leadership. Throughout the country including Ruto’s backyard of Uasin Gishu, it was made clear that if there is a man that the people want out of office, it is Ruto.
Nevertheless, the countrywide message that came out of it was that “if Gachagua must go, then Ruto must go with him – Kufa Makanga, Kufa Ndereva” became the national outcry. In many other public participation forums, the chant that Ruto Must Go that was started during the Gen-Ze demonstrations became even louder.
It is important to remind the 291 members of parliament who originally voted to impeach the DP that the Kenyan constitution provides for a separation of powers.
In the landscape of Kenyan governance, parliament is constitutionally designed to serve as a check on the executive branch. During the last two years, Kenyan Parliament has increasingly been perceived as a rubber stamp for the executive.
It has become susceptible to manipulation by President Ruto This raises concerns about the erosion of democratic principles and accountability.
Gachagua made it clear that many of them had not even understood the points in the impeachment motion because they were full of inaccuracies or statements that one can easily verify.
It is important to remind the members of parliament that they have the potential to be a robust defender of democracy and the rule of law.
However, the current trend of acting as a rubber stamp for Ruto undermines their legitimacy and effectiveness.
There are more serious issues to address. I would not be surprised to learn that Ruto wanted to hoodwink the country and the world at large to focus on this nonsensical impeachment saga while he continued to root the coffers of the country.
We may wake up to find important institutions like our airports and seaports gone. Why don’t you focus our energies on the health, education and employment issues plaguing the country? Why don’t you deal with the rampant corruption plaguing our country? Why don’t you respect the wish of the Kenyan people and stop wasting precious time on this nonsensical impeachment vendetta?
Meanwhile, leave Gachagua alone to continue serving the people and focus on addressing the serious issues that will justify that you are true leaders of the people.
By addressing the systemic issues that will help in improvement of the lives of Kenyans, you will strengthen other development institutions and promote a government that is accountable to its people.
Only through concerted efforts to restore parliamentary independence can the true spirit of democratic governance flourish.
Vote NO today and focus on issues that help. And you are again reminded that the loudest cry for most Kenyans is Ruto Must Go.
You would be doing the electorate a lot of good if you helped us figure out how this should be done before the year 2027.
That is the people’s desire, and in a democracy, the wish of the electorate needs to be respected. As Governor Mutahi Kahiga of Nyeri County stated recently, each action has a reaction.
By Professor Peter Ndiang’ui, Florida Gulf Coast University
