Supreme Court “Gachagua ruling” on Friday is not a final impeachment verdict — official notice lists an interlocutory ruling in National Assembly case

Nairobi, January 28, 2026 — Conflicting social media posts have created the impression that the Supreme Court is set to issue a decisive ruling on the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua this Friday.

An official Supreme Court notice seen by Streamline does not support that framing.

The notice—issued under the office of the Deputy Registrar, Supreme Court of Kenya—lists “Judgments & Rulings to be delivered via email on Friday, 30th January, 2026.” Under the RULINGS section, it includes SC PT(APP)/E032/2025: The National Assembly v H. E. Rigathi Gachagua & 66 others.

What the official notice confirms — and what it doesn’t

Confirmed by the court notice:

• A Supreme Court ruling (not a judgment) will be delivered on Friday, 30 January 2026.

• The matter is SC PT(APP)/E032/2025, between the National Assembly and H. E. Rigathi Gachagua & 66 others.

• The ruling is scheduled to be delivered via email.

Not confirmed by the notice itself:

• The specific legal question the ruling will decide (the notice lists file references and parties, but does not describe the application or issues).

That distinction matters because public discussion has attempted to attach a final, political meaning to a listing that is, on its face, an administrative schedule for delivery of decisions.

Counsel’s clarification: “This is about the cross-appeal”

While the official notice does not spell out the subject of the application, Andrew Muge, Advocate and member of Mr Gachagua’s legal team, says the public narrative has drifted into the wrong lane.

“Let me be precise: the Supreme Court ruling due on Friday is not about empanelment. It is about the cross appeal filed by H.E. Rigathi Gachagua's team and the National Assembly’s application seeking to dismiss that cross-appeal.” — Andrew Muge

“This is an interlocutory step within the appeal framework. The Court is being asked whether our cross-appeal should be heard on its merits, or struck out at the threshold.” — Andrew Muge

In a firm-level statement aimed at correcting public interpretation, Muge Law Advocates adds:

“Muge Law Advocates clarifies that the Supreme Court’s ruling listed for Friday concerns the National Assembly’s application to dismiss the cross-appeal filed on behalf of H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, and does not relate to bench empanelment.” — Muge Law Advocates

“The pending decision is a procedural ruling on whether the cross-appeal will proceed to substantive hearing. It should not be misconstrued as a final pronouncement on the broader dispute.” — Muge Law Advocates

Why the impeachment “final word” narrative is misleading

Even in high-stakes political disputes, courts frequently deliver decisions that are interlocutory—rulings that determine which arguments are allowed to proceed, which filings are competent, and what the next steps are.

A ruling on whether a cross-appeal proceeds is not the same thing as a full determination on:

• whether the impeachment process was lawful;

• whether the substantive grounds were proved; or

• whether the matter has reached finality after exhaustion of all legal avenues.

The political temperature: “Accuracy, not propaganda”

Muge argues that mischaracterising procedural court steps as political endpoints risks inflaming public debate and weakening trust in judicial processes.

“Politically, the biggest risk today is misinformation—turning a technical court ruling into a manufactured ‘victory’ or ‘defeat.’ The public deserves accuracy, not propaganda.” — Andrew Muge

“This country cannot build confidence in institutions if every court date is converted into a political rally. The legal process must be allowed to run its course.” — Andrew Muge

Muge Law Advocates similarly urges restraint and discipline in interpretation:

“From a governance perspective, clarity matters: mischaracterising an interlocutory ruling as a final political outcome undermines public trust in courts and fuels unnecessary tension.” — Muge Law Advocates

What happens next

What is clear—based on the Supreme Court’s official schedule—is that a ruling will be delivered on Friday, 30 January 2026 in SC PT(APP)/E032/2025.

What follows after that will depend on the content of the ruling and subsequent directions in the connected proceedings. On this, Muge says the next High Court date is already set for further directions:

“We will return on 10th February 2026 as the Honourable Court waits on the sentiments of the Supreme Court…” — Andrew Muge

Bottom line

The only safe public interpretation at this stage is the one anchored in what is verifiable: the Supreme Court has scheduled a ruling in a National Assembly v Gachagua matter for Friday, 30 January 2026. The broader claim—that it is a final ruling on impeachment—overreaches what the official notice states. Counsel for Mr Gachagua insists the ruling is about an application targeting the cross-appeal, and not empanelment.