The Senate will begin Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment hearing today, Wednesday, October 16, 2024, in a plenary session. A detailed schedule outlines how the proceedings will unfold over two days.
On the first day, the Senate will hold a closed-door pre-hearing meeting from 9 AM to 10 AM. During this session, senators will review their mandate, the Rules of Procedure, and the Hearing Programme.
At 10 AM, members of the National Assembly involved in the case, along with their legal counsel, will be introduced. From 10:30 AM to 11 AM, Deputy President Gachagua and his legal team will also be formally introduced.
The charges against Gachagua will be read between 11 AM and 11:30 AM. The National Assembly will then present its opening statement, followed by Gachagua’s defense team. Each side has 30 minutes to present their case.
From noon to 1 PM, the National Assembly will present its evidence, including witness testimonies and cross-examinations. Three hours are set aside for evidence and two hours for cross-examination.
The Senate will take a lunch break from 1 PM to 2:30 PM, after which the afternoon session will resume. From 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM, the National Assembly will continue presenting evidence.
Senators will have an hour, from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM, to ask questions or seek clarifications. The Senate will then adjourn for the day.
On Thursday, October 17, the Senate will reconvene at 9 AM to hear Gachagua’s defense. Three hours are allocated for his evidence, with an additional two hours for cross-examination. After a lunch break at 1 PM, the session will resume at 2:30 PM to continue Gachagua’s evidence.
Senators will again have an hour for questions, from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
The National Assembly will present its closing statement from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM, followed by Gachagua’s closing statement from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM.
The Senate will then debate the motion for Gachagua’s removal, with a vote scheduled for 8:30 PM.
