Embu Boda Boda Operators Protest High Court Verdict On Gachagua’s Impeachment

A wave of protests erupted in Embu Town on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, as a section of boda boda operators took to the streets to reject the High Court’s landmark ruling that upheld the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Led by local politician and Embu Senate aspirant James Ireri, the demonstrators accused the three-judge bench of delivering a fundamentally flawed and contradictory verdict regarding the Senate’s handling of the ouster.

Protesters Term Ksh50M Damages an Injust Compromise

The civil unrest centers on the details of the judgment delivered on Monday, June 8, by Justices Eric Ogola, Anthony Mrima, and Freda Mugambi.

While the bench ultimately ruled that the impeachment process met the necessary constitutional thresholds, the judges explicitly found that Gachagua’s right to a fair hearing had been violated during the Senate trial due to procedural irregularities. Rather than nullifying the ouster, the court ordered the Senate to pay Gachagua Ksh50 million in damages.

Addressing the media during the demonstrations, Ireri argued that once a constitutional violation was established, the judges had a legal obligation to quash the entire impeachment outcome.

“I want to say that the ruling that was issued by the High Court yesterday is a misleading and confusing ruling,” Ireri stated. “On one hand, the High Court said the rights of the former DP were infringed, and that is reason enough to quash the ruling against Gachagua. The Senate did wrong, and they should admit they did wrong.”

Recall Process Initiated Against Senator Munyi Mundigi

The political fallout from the ruling has quickly shifted toward local representation. The demonstrators expressed deep dissatisfaction with Embu Senator Munyi Mundigi for his legislative vote in support of Gachagua’s removal from office.

Frustrated by what they termed a betrayal of the electorate’s stance, Ireri announced that the community would formally initiate a legislative recall process against the lawmaker.

“Since the senators did not do the right thing, we have decided as the people of Embu to begin the process of recalling our senator because he voted in favour of Gachagua’s impeachment,” Ireri declared.

The Judicial Precedent Under Fire

The High Court’s extensive ruling had previously brought closure to a series of consolidated constitutional petitions challenging the ouster. The bench affirmed that the National Assembly strictly complied with public participation requirements and statutory timelines.

However, by creating a legal middle ground—where a procedural violation warrants heavy financial compensation but does not reverse an executive removal—the court has opened up a fresh wave of public debate and grassroots political friction across the Mount Kenya region.