Acting Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Catherine Omanyo has defended the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, maintaining that lawmakers had sufficient grounds to remove him from office without the need for financial inducements.
Speaking during an interview with a local television station on Thursday, July 30, 2026, Omanyo dismissed claims that Members of Parliament were bribed to support Gachagua's impeachment.
She argued that any legislator acting in the country's best interests would have voted in favour of his removal based on his conduct while in office.
“Fedha hazikuhitajika ili kumuondoa Gachagua madarakani. Mtu yeyote mwenye akili timamu na anayependa Kenya hangehitaji kushawishiwa kwa pesa baada ya kusikia matamshi na kuona vitendo vyake,” Omanyo said.
She further defended the decision to impeach the former deputy president, accusing him of making divisive remarks that undermined national unity.
“Aliondolewa kwa sababu alikuwa anawagawa Wakenya kupitia matamshi yake,” she added.
Omanyo's remarks come amid renewed debate over the 2024 impeachment process following allegations by some political leaders that lawmakers received money to support Gachagua's removal from office.
The claims have been made by several politicians in recent days, although no evidence has been publicly presented to substantiate the allegations.
Gachagua was impeached in 2024 after both the National Assembly and the Senate voted to uphold charges against him, paving the way for his removal from office.
