NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 24 – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has vowed to defend his right to contest the presidency in the 2027 General Election, arguing that his impeachment does not automatically bar him from seeking elective office while his legal challenges remain pending.

📻 Breaking It Down

Gachagua said he would pursue his case through the Court of Appeal and, if necessary, the Supreme Court, maintaining that the Constitution requires all available legal remedies to be exhausted before an individual facing integrity-related questions can be disqualified from running for office.

“Let nobody tell you that because I was removed from office, I cannot run,” Gachagua said, arguing that the relevant provisions of the Constitution must be read together.

The Democracy for Citizens Party leader was speaking as he defended his presidential ambitions while intensifying his opposition to President William Ruto and positioning himself as a potential candidate in the 2027 race.

📌 What You Need to Know

His remarks come days after he filed an appeal challenging the High Court judgment that upheld his impeachment while finding that his right to a fair hearing had been violated during the Senate proceedings.

The High Court, in a June 8 judgment, upheld the impeachment but awarded Gachagua Sh50 million in constitutional damages after finding that the Senate had infringed his fair hearing rights by proceeding without granting him an adjournment while he was unwell.

The former Deputy President has now taken the fight to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the finding of a constitutional violation should have had consequences for the validity of his removal from office.

Gachagua said he was confident the appellate court would overturn what he described as an “absurd” outcome in which the High Court found that his rights had been violated but allowed the outcome of the process to stand.

“The High Court pronounced itself that I was taken through an unfair process and I did not get the right to fair hearing. Then the same court allows the product of an unconstitutional process to stand is what you call a constitutional absurdity,” he said.

He maintained that he had another avenue before the Supreme Court if the Court of Appeal ruled against him.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya