In a groundbreaking development, Kenya’s Senate has voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, making him the first deputy president to be removed from office since the 2010 constitutional reforms.
The Senate, during a tense Thursday session, found Gachagua guilty of five out of the eleven charges brought against him, which included corruption, money laundering, ethnic divisiveness, insubordination, and undermining the government. Under Kenyan law, a conviction on even one charge would have been sufficient to secure his removal.
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Gachagua’s impeachment follows an earlier vote by the National Assembly, where the motion for his removal received overwhelming support. Despite consistently denying the charges, the 59-year-old was unable to testify in his own defense due to his hospitalization with severe chest pains. In his absence, the Senate pressed forward with the proceedings.
During the session, Gachagua’s legal counsel, Paul Muite, attempted to delay the process, citing his client’s deteriorating health condition. “The deputy president is seriously ill,” Muite informed the Senate, requesting a brief adjournment. However, the motion to postpone the hearing until Saturday was dismissed, resulting in Gachagua’s legal team walking out in protest.
The impeachment has sparked significant political debate, with many Kenyans viewing the process as politically motivated. Critics have accused the government of using Gachagua’s impeachment to divert attention from the recent anti-tax protests that rocked the nation earlier this year. President William Ruto, whose relationship with Gachagua has been strained in recent months, has yet to comment on the matter.
Political analysts, such as Karuti Kanyinga from the University of Nairobi, have cautioned that the move could trigger wider repercussions. “There may be calls for the same level of scrutiny to be applied to President Ruto himself,” Kanyinga noted, suggesting that the close examination of Gachagua’s financial affairs could open the door for further political fallout.
Gachagua, in response, has dismissed the impeachment as a “political lynching” and insists the accusations are baseless. As Kenya continues to face economic struggles and public discontent, the deputy president’s ousting is expected to deepen political divisions within the country.
