Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition launches website to collect signatures to remove President Ruto from office

The Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition has launched a new website, tumechoka.net, in an effort to collect 10 million signatures from Kenyans to remove President William Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, from office.

The website’s landing page prompts users to key in their personal details, including their national identification number, first and last name, county, constituency, and ward. Users are also asked to agree with the following statement:

“I hereby support the citizens’ initiative to remove from office Mr William Ruto as the President of the Republic of Kenya and Mr Rigathi Gachagua as the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, which positions the said two have usurped and occupied in violation of the Constitution of Kenya, and have proceeded to impose high, oppressive, insensitive and punitive taxes on the people of Kenya without the peoples’ representation.

They have also been running the affairs of the Republic like a shareholders’ company. Exercising my sovereignty under Article 1 directly, I also hereby authorize and support a forensic audit of the 2022 presidential elections pursuant to Article 88 (4) (h) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Further, exercising my constitutional rights, I also support the citizens’ pursuit for self-determination or secession. I undertake to recruit as many other citizens as possible to support this initiative; As a registered voter, I therefore freely and willingly authorize the use of my name as a supporter of this initiative.”

The coalition says that the signatures will be used to launch a legal challenge to the election of President Ruto and Mr Gachagua. However, it is unclear whether the signatures will be enough to force the two leaders from office.

The Constitution of Kenya only allows for a sitting President to be removed from office through impeachment. This can be done by a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate, or by a simple majority vote in the National Assembly if the President is found to be incapacited.

It is possible that the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition could use the signatures to try to pressure the Senate or the National Assembly to impeach President Ruto and Mr Gachagua. However, it is also possible that the signatures will have no legal effect.

The launch of the tumechoka.net website is a significant development in the political landscape in Kenya. It is the first time that an opposition coalition has launched a legal challenge to the election of a sitting President. It remains to be seen whether the challenge will be successful, but it is sure to generate a lot of debate and discussion in Kenya.