Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has allowed Senior Counsel James Orengo to appear as National Assembly lawyer in the impeachment trial of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
DP Gachagua’s team had raised preliminary objection seeking to bar Orengo, who is also Siaya County Governor, from the proceedings.
Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru had argued that Orengo, being a state officer should National Assembly, citing conflict of interest.
“Governor James Orengo is a full-time serving state officer as per Article 260 of the constitution, which bars a full time state officer from engaging in meaningful employment. It would be prejudicial for this house to allow Orengo to represent National Assembly in these proceedings,” Njiru had argued.
Njiru further cited the Kisii Deputy Governor Robert Monda’s case, where Speaker Kingi disallowed National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro from representing him, after preliminary objection by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei.
“Just recently this House, which is a house of record during the impeachment of the Kisii Deputy Governor, the county assembly attempted to appear by legal counsel Sylvanus Osoro (South Mugirango MP) which was raised by Senator Cherargei which was sustained,” he said
