Kenya’s parliament has voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, with an overwhelming majority of 281 lawmakers in favor and 44 opposing the motion. This vote followed daylong discussions where Gachagua defended himself against allegations, including claims that he supported anti-government protests in June and was involved in corruption. Gachagua has denied all the charges.
The impeachment process now moves to Kenya’s Senate, where a two-thirds majority is required to finalize his removal from office. The timing of the Senate vote has not yet been confirmed. Under Kenya’s constitution, if the Senate approves the motion, Gachagua will be automatically removed from his position, though he has stated he will challenge the impeachment in court.
The situation has stirred public debate, with clashes between supporters and opponents of the motion. Gachagua acknowledged the political nature of the process during his defense and called for a decision free of coercion. He has suggested that the impeachment motion may have the backing of President William Ruto, although the president has not publicly commented on the matter.
Gachagua addressed accusations regarding his properties, clarifying that some belonged to his late brother, and defended expenditures on renovations to his official residence. Despite requesting forgiveness in a recent speech, he later emphasized that this was not an admission of guilt.
