Senior Counsel Tom Ojienda turned a tense courtroom session into a moment of laughter on Thursday after an unintended remark during proceedings in the impeachment case involving former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at the Milimani Law Courts.
The light moment unfolded as lawyers argued before a three-judge bench hearing petitions related to Gachagua’s impeachment process.
At one point during submissions, another lawyer reminded the court that Ojienda had earlier indicated he would take only a minute to make a point.
“My lord, my colleague promised the court and us that he would be a minute long,” the lawyer said.
That prompted an immediate response from Ojienda, who began saying: “I am not a one-minute…” before abruptly stopping mid-sentence as he appeared to realise how the remark sounded.
The courtroom instantly burst into laughter.
Judges, lawyers and members of the public gallery struggled to contain themselves as the senior counsel attempted to regain composure and continue with his submissions.
“My lord, I am concluding,” Ojienda said, but the laughter continued, forcing proceedings to pause briefly.
Presiding Judge Eric Ogola then playfully asked the senior counsel to complete what he had intended to say.
“Prof Ojienda, can you continue and conclude your sentence, the logical conclusion. What did you mean?” Justice Ogola posed, triggering fresh laughter inside the packed courtroom.
Trying to recover, Ojienda initially appeared hesitant before the judge once again encouraged him to finish the statement.
“My lord, I am saying I am not a one-minute man. I submit with vigour and I cite decisions, my lord. I am a serious counsel,” Ojienda finally clarified, sending the court into another round of laughter.
The humorous exchange provided a rare comic break in proceedings that have otherwise centred on weighty constitutional and political questions surrounding Gachagua’s impeachment battle.
The hearing on Thursday attracted significant public attention after the court allowed some additional affidavit material linked to claims surrounding the impeachment process.
The case is among several petitions challenging the legality and procedure of the Senate proceedings that led to Gachagua’s removal from office last year.
Despite the seriousness of the matter before the bench, the exchange quickly became one of the most talked-about courtroom moments of the day, with clips of the interaction circulating widely online.
Lawyers in court could be seen smiling while even the judges struggled to maintain composure as Ojienda attempted to steer proceedings back to legal arguments.
The brief interruption also highlighted the often unpredictable nature of live courtroom proceedings, where moments of humour occasionally emerge amid highly charged legal battles.
Ojienda later resumed his submissions, continuing to argue on issues touching on procedure, evidence and the handling of material presented before the Senate during the impeachment process.
The proceedings are part of ongoing legal challenges seeking to determine whether the impeachment met constitutional and legal thresholds.
