Gachagua rejects Sh50million impeachment award, vows appeal

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has rejected the Sh50 million constitutional damages awarded to him by the High Court, describing the compensation as an “insult and a mockery of the constitution,” and vowed to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.

Speaking during a press briefing today, June 9, 2026, Gachagua said the award does not address the core constitutional questions raised in his impeachment case, insisting that his battle was never about financial compensation but about justice, due process and constitutional integrity.

“The Sh50 million offered to me is an insult to my fundamental rights and freedom, and a mockery of the Constitution; we are not interested,” he said.

A three-judge bench upheld his impeachment and removal from office, ruling that while the Senate violated his right to a fair hearing during the proceedings—particularly by failing to adjourn despite his reported illness—the overall impeachment process met the constitutional threshold required for his removal.

The court consequently awarded Gachagua Sh50 million in damages for the violation of his rights, even as it validated the impeachment decision.

However, Gachagua dismissed what he termed contradictions in the ruling, questioning how the court could find a breach of constitutional rights while still affirming his removal.

“I respect the court, but we disagree with its interpretation of the law. We shall proceed to file an appeal,” he said.

Gachagua described the 350-page judgment as inconsistent, arguing that the findings expose deeper concerns about the conduct of impeachment proceedings and the protection of constitutional safeguards.

He maintained that the central issue before the court was whether due process was followed during his removal from office.

In his remarks, the former Deputy President also referenced what he claimed were prior political overtures, alleging that he had rejected an offer of Sh2 billion to step down voluntarily instead of facing impeachment.

He said the decision to decline the alleged offer demonstrated his commitment to constitutional principles rather than personal gain.

“If I were interested in money, I was offered Sh2 billion to resign and avoid impeachment, but I chose to stand for my rights and those of millions of Kenyans,” he said.

Gachagua further argued that the court’s decision was contradictory, pointing to what he termed a “paradoxical determination” in which the bench found violations in Senate procedure—particularly the failure to constitute a select committee—yet still upheld the impeachment outcome.