Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed has addressed claims surrounding his statements on the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, clarifying that he did not receive any money in the process.
Junet explained that his earlier remarks about money circulating among lawmakers were meant to highlight political lobbying activities typical within parliamentary systems, rather than any form of bribery.
Political Lobbying, Not Bribery
"I have not received any money; I didn’t need money to impeach former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua," Junet stated. He emphasized that lobbying among MPs is a common political practice and that the lobbying he referred to was not initiated by the government side.
Junet further described the impeachment as a bipartisan effort, driven by widespread dissatisfaction among MPs with Gachagua’s conduct.
Context of the Impeachment
- ODM lawmakers convened to discuss and endorse the impeachment motion.
- Junet acknowledged receiving information about something "going around" Parliament but could not conclusively identify it as money.
- He suggested that inducements, if any, might have taken various forms, such as tokens.
Earlier, Junet had remarked on Classic 105 that "there was some money that was moving around in Parliament" during the impeachment, but he did not name individuals or specify amounts.
Legal Outcome
In June, the High Court upheld Gachagua’s impeachment but awarded him Sh50 million in constitutional damages. The court found that the Senate violated Gachagua’s rights by refusing to grant an adjournment requested by his legal team, though this did not invalidate the impeachment itself.
Justice Eric Ogola ruled that the infringement warranted compensation to uphold constitutional dignity and deter future violations.
