The Kenyan Senate is set to begin debating the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, after a court ruling cleared the way for proceedings against him, Al Jazeera reports.
The National Assembly, Kenya’s lower house of parliament, voted last week to impeach Gachagua on 11 charges, including corruption, undermining the government, and stirring ethnic hatred. Gachagua, a powerful businessman from Kenya’s largest tribe, the Kikuyu, has vehemently denied all allegations, calling the impeachment a politically motivated “lynching.”
Gachagua’s appeal against the impeachment was rejected by High Court Judge Eric Ogola on Wednesday, paving the way for the Senate to hold hearings and vote on his dismissal.
“At this stage, the process is a lawful, constitutional process,” Judge Ogola said in court.
A two-thirds majority vote in the Senate is required for Gachagua’s removal from office. If successful, he would become the first Kenyan deputy president to be removed from office through impeachment since the process was introduced in the revised 2010 constitution.
The Senate, Kenya’s upper house, began meeting on the impeachment motion last week and initiated a debate on Wednesday, initially behind closed doors.
Gachagua, who played a crucial role in securing votes from the populous central Kenya region for President William Ruto during the August 2022 election, has faced accusations of being sidelined by the president and supporting youth-led anti-government protests that erupted in June. These protests, which resulted in the deaths of over 50 people, exposed deep divisions within the ruling elite.
Following the protests, Ruto dismissed much of his cabinet and appointed opposition members in a bid to form a “unity government.” While Ruto has not publicly commented on the impeachment, Gachagua has acknowledged that the process could not proceed without the president’s approval.
The are expected to be closely watched, as they highlight the growing political tensions within Kenya’s leadership.
