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{
    "id": 1482622,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1482622/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 464,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Rigathi Gachagua",
    "speaker_title": "His Excellency the Deputy President",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13428,
        "legal_name": "Rigathi Gachagua",
        "slug": "rigathi-gachagua"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Speaker. In addition, and almost in conclusion, I am not the only leader at the national level who has encouraged unity among Kenyans, based on shared regional, geographical, economic and other factors. I have attached the following articles: 1. Where Unity is not Optional: Moses Wetang’ula. 2. Ruto puts Case for GEMA-Kalenjin Unity. 3. Mijikenda Unity in the Offing. 4. Maasai Leaders in Unity Talks Ahead of Next Year’s General Election. I have attached those articles so that you can understand that regions uniting does not mean they unite against other regions; they unite for common issues, common values and to strengthen them to join other regions for national unity. Hon. Speaker, the Motion dated 26th September 2024 and tabled before the National Assembly makes the generalised claims that I have committed crimes under national laws. That is, Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act, Penal Code, National Cohesion and Integration Act as well as the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act. It is on the basis of that claim that it is said that the threshold of impeachment has been met. I am not aware of any active investigations by any State agency for offences under the State laws, neither have I been called upon to record any statement pertaining to any investigation. Just like any other Kenyan, the Constitution accords me the presumption of innocence in relation to criminal offences until the contrary is proved in a court of law on a specific standard of evidence. Therefore, in the absence of any active investigations by any investigative agency in Kenya, I do not believe that there can be any serious reason to believe that I have committed any offence. Otherwise, that would be an indictment of the intelligence agencies as well as investigative agencies. Therefore, it is inconceivable that the threshold of the impeachment Motion as defined in Article 145 of the Constitution can solely be based on the perception of the Mover of the Motion in the absence of any other evidence. I heard the Mover this morning saying that all we need to do is to believe in him. I believe that cannot be the position. We need actual evidence. The net effect of the impeachment on this basis of allegations of criminal offences whose evidence has not been tried and tested in a court of law or by bodies that are mandated to investigate would be to disqualify me from The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}