Deputy President William Ruto’s woes have started growing from worse to worst. Will his journey to statehouse be an easy walk?
Just recently, the former Jubilee Party interim chair vowed to hire Siaya Senator James Orengo to block Ruto from vying in 2022 presidential elections.
Has Orengo taken up the task? The Siaya Senator has pledged on Sunday to institute an impeachment motion against DP Ruto.
Orengo said a Deputy President can be kicked out of office if it’s found that he or she has violated the Constitution or any other law.
The Senator said the country cannot move forward with a Deputy President who is at the centre, any time a corruption case is mentioned.
Addressing Ugenya residents during campaigns for the Ugenya by-election, Orengo said Article 150 of the Constitution is enough to throw out DP Ruto. He was campaigning for Chris Karana.
Orengo added that the threshold for the removing of the Deputy President in office on the constitutional grounds is much lower than the criminal prosecution threshold.
The Senate Minority leader reminded DP Ruto that the Constitution allows the President to appoint a new deputy president after his removal, with the approval of the National Assembly.
“I want to repeat here and now that the Senate together with the National Assembly, we want to bring a motion of impeachment to kick out DP Ruto from office,” Orengo said.
The Siaya senator said it’s time for lawmakers to make maximum use of the Constitution by demonstrating the power of the Constitution to those who usually think they are above the law.
ODM party secretary general Edwin Sifuna, who is also a lawyer, said they already have DP Ruto’s file ready for the impeachment motion.
Sifuna said it has also taken his new friends in Jubilee less than seven years to realise the DP Ruto is a conman and that is why President Uhuru Kenyatta sounded a warning two days ago. He said no one — family friend or ally — would be spared in the war on corruption.
“As the ODM fraternity, we assure the President that we are behind him and the DCI in the war against corruption,” he added.
The ODM secretary general asked the DCI to stop “beating around the bush”, looking for Ruto’s aide, and instead go direct and arrest DP Ruto.
Migori Senator Ochillo Ayacko seconded Orengo’s move to impeach the DP. He quoted the Constitution that “any person who obstructs justice commits a crime and is liable to be jailed.”
Ayacko said they are going to move with haste to ensure DP Ruto is out of office, as on top of corruption allegations, he is also threatening institutions that are fighting corruption.