Kenya: Senate impeachment with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in historic vote

The Senate of Kenya make impeachment with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Thursday, following a two-day hearing that resulted in his conviction on five of eleven charges. This unprecedented move will see Gachagua removed from office and permanently barred from holding any public position.

The Deputy President faced a slew of accusations, primarily related to breaches of the Kenyan Constitution. Convictions included violating constitutional ethics, undermining judicial independence, and breaching his oaths of office. However, he was acquitted on several other serious charges, including corruption and insubordination, which required a two-thirds majority to convict.

Among the charges that led to his conviction, Gachagua was found guilty of violating the National Cohesion and Integration Act, specifically for “incitement of ethnic division and discrimination” during a 2023 speech that suggested government jobs would favor communities supporting his party.

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Notably absent from the proceedings due to hospitalization, Gachagua’s legal team requested a delay in the hearings, a request the Senate denied. He was expected to testify as the sole witness in his defense, making his absence particularly controversial.

The National Assembly had previously voted overwhelmingly to impeach Gachagua on all eleven charges on October 8, with a significant majority of 282 votes for and 44 against.

Elected alongside President William Ruto in 2022, Gachagua’s relationship with the president has reportedly soured in recent months, with Ruto notably silent on the impeachment. Gachagua is anticipated to contest the Senate’s decision in court, marking yet another chapter in the tumultuous political landscape of Kenya.