Kenya’s deputy president impeached amid faceoff with President Ruto

Kenya’s Senate on Thursday voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, citing corruption and other accusations, only hours after he was hospitalized with chest pain.

While the Senate only had to find him guilty of one charge to remove him from office, five of the eleven impeachment grounds against Gachagua were approved by senators, making him the first deputy president to be ousted through impeachment.

Amason Kingi, Speaker of the Senate, read out the verdict after the electronic votes were concluded saying, “The Senate has resolved to remove from office, by impeachment, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua E.G.H (Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart) the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya.

Accordingly, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua E.G.H ceases to hold office.”

The initial count received a vote of 54-13, surpassing the two-thirds majority needed for conviction and removal from office.

Last week, the the Kenya National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, voted 282-44 in favour of impeaching the deputy president.

The embattled Gachagua pleaded not guilty to 11 charges on Wednesday and was expected to undergo cross-examination by Assembly lawyers in the afternoon.

The hearing was briefly paused after he was hospitalized, leading his attorneys to request a postponement until Tuesday for his appearance.

Nevertheless, Assembly lawyers contended that Gachagua’s defence had already been made, and the Senate was required by the constitution to continue the proceedings.

The 59 year-old Gachagua has been accused of various offenses, including corruption, fostering ethnic tensions, and backing anti-government protests that led to demonstrators breaching Parliament.

This situation has exposed rifts within President William Ruto’s ruling party and highlighted the tensions between Ruto and Gachagua regarding government policies.

The deputy president faced allegations of insubordination for opposing the government’s forced eviction policy during severe flooding that resulted in fatalities.

In his defence before the Assembly last week, Gachagua suggested that the impeachment motion had the president’s approval and urged lawmakers to reach their verdict “without intimidation and coercion.”

Ruto has yet to publicly address the impeachment.

Gachagua’s attorney, Paul Muite, reported on Thursday that doctors indicated the deputy president was experiencing “intense chest pains” and required “complete rest.”

Grounds for Gachagua’s impeachment 

The impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua marked a significant turning point in Kenya’s political landscape.

The Senate’s decision to uphold his impeachment, with 53 out of 66 senators voting in favor, was based on numerous grounds.

These included gross violation of constitutional articles, gross misconduct, and crimes under national laws.

Specifically, Gachagua was accused of violating Articles 10(2), 27(4), 73(1), 75(1), and 129(2) of the Kenyan Constitution, among others.

Additionally, he faced allegations of insubordination, bullying, and committing crimes under various national laws, including the National Cohesion and Integration Act, Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, and Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act.

With his removal from office, President William Ruto is now tasked with nominating a replacement.

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