Siaya senator James Orengo has dismissed claims that opposition leader Raila Odinga is behind the impeachment remarks he made last weekend.
Orengo had announced that he is willing to sponsor an impeachment motion against Deputy President William Ruto.
Speaking during an event in Ugenya, Orengo mentioned that Dr Ruto can be shown the door if it is found that he has violated the Constitution or any other law.
He noted that Article 150 of the Constitution can be used to throw out DP Ruto.
“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 asserted.
According to Orengo, he was not speaking on behalf of Odinga, but expressing his personal views on Deputy President William Ruto.
“It is me speaking; Raila has his mouth and I got my mouth. When I am speaking on behalf of Raila (which I have done before), I’ll say as much!”Orengo said.
“I don’t know whether Raila shares the sentiments and particularly knowing that I was saying it as Orengo. These were my views and I can tell you that when I moved a motion of no confidence of [former President], Moi, it was my motion.”
He reiterated that the DP’s impeachment motion is about gross misconduct and corruption cases he has ‘admitted’ to.
“I think he should be investigated…it is not just about what he has been linked to but also what he has admitted to. And if he cannot be investigated then the parliamentary process is another tool,” he said.
“…and that is the parliamentary process, it will be done like a motion of no confidence. And it is a political process.”
The sentiments comes a day after a section of Jubilee leaders allied to DP Ruto claimed that Odinga is silently eyeing Ruto’s seat and is behind Orengo’s censure motion to have the DP impeached.
Read:Majority Leader Aden Duale Educates Senator James Orengo On What it Takes To Impeach DP William Ruto
The legislators are Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Sylvanus Osore (South Mugirango), Purity Ngirici (Kirinyaga Woman rep), Cate Waruguru (Laikipia woman rep), Nixon Korir (Langata), Kipsengret Koros (Sigowet-Soin), Benjamin Mwangi (Embakasi Central) and Joyce Korir (Bomet MP).
According to the Mps, the DP is being targeted by his enemies in the war on corruption.
On his part, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale has faulted Orengo’s plan to impeach plans, terming it as an idea dead on arrival.
The Garissa township Mp said that Senator Orengo, who is a senior lawyer is either ignorant or is on a mission to mislead the public.
“The process cannot start in the Senate where he sits! Under Article 145 of the Constitution as read together with Art.150, the process can only originate in the National Assembly, where he does not sit!” he said.
Duale said that the process can only be started by a sitting MP, and have signatures of not less than a third of MPs.
The comments comes amid a heightened war of words over fight against graft in the country.
Yesterday, President Uhuru Kenyatta paid DP Ruto a random visit at his office in Harambee house.
Many have interpreted the visit as one intended to cool political temperatures in the country especially after DP Ruto’s impeachment debate and Uhuru’s remarks in Namibia over fighting close political allied engaged in corruption.
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