Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda has dismissed allegations that she pocketed Ksh.10 million to vote in favor of the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV’s DayBreak show, Mutinda was pressed by Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu, who claimed that every member of the Senate had been offered the hefty sum to impeach Gachagua. Nyutu went further to allege that Mutinda accepted the money, remarks that sparked a heated exchange between the two lawmakers.
“Did you give me anything? It is sad, so sad… I did not receive anything to impeach Gachagua. Just manage your frustrations and move forward,” Mutinda retorted, distancing herself from the bribery claims.
Nyutu, however, insisted that the matter was far from over, urging Mutinda to “swear before God and Kenyans that she did not receive the Ksh.10 million.”
The bribery allegations come in the wake of earlier remarks by Gachagua himself, who claimed in September 2024 that Senators and Members of Parliament were being offered Ksh.5 million each to support his ouster. Speaking at a rally in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, the former Deputy President alleged that lawmakers allied to him, including Woman Representative Njeri Maina and Senator James Murango, were approached with the offer but declined to compromise.
Despite the allegations, the Senate went ahead with the impeachment proceedings, which concluded on October 17, 2024. After two days of intense debate, evidence review, and cross-examinations, Senators voted in favor of five out of the 11 charges presented against Gachagua, sealing his removal from office.
Mutinda has since maintained that the matter should be left in the past, arguing that the impeachment was a concluded process. “The impeachment process is a done deal and should be left behind,” she said.
The bribery claims, however, continue to cast a shadow over the historic vote, raising questions about the integrity of parliamentary proceedings and the political battles that surrounded Gachagua’s dramatic fall from power.
