Rigathi Gachagu
By Victory Oghene
Kenyan lawmakers have commeced move to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, the motion to Impeach him was approved with a 281-44 vote, surpassing the required 117 votes.
The motion will now proceed to the upper house for debate and a vote. A two-thirds majority of senators is needed to finalize the impeachment, ABC News reports.
Kenya’s constitution allows for automatic removal if both chambers approve, although Gachagua has stated he would challenge the decision in court.
He faces accusations of supporting anti-government protests, corruption, and other irregularities, all of which he denies.
Supporters and opponents of the impeachment clashed publicly last week after the ruling alliance brought the motion to parliament.
Gachagua, in his defense, described the process as political and asked lawmakers to vote “without intimidation and coercion.”
He also noted that he believed the motion had the president’s backing.
President William Ruto has yet to comment on the impeachment but previously stated he would not publicly humiliate his deputy, referencing his difficult relationship with former president Uhuru Kenyatta.
On Sunday, Gachagua sought forgiveness from Ruto, legislators, and Kenyans during a prayer meeting, clarifying later that it wasn’t an admission of guilt and rejecting rumors of his resignation.
He further defended his expenditures on residence renovations, claiming they were necessary to restore dignity to the property, and stated that some of the properties listed in the motion belonged to his late brother.
