Kenya’s Senate is set to vote Thursday on the possible removal of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office, marking an unprecedented moment in the country’s political landscape.
According to the AFP, the decision comes at the conclusion of a two-day impeachment trial, the first of its kind involving a deputy president under Kenya’s 2010 constitution.
Gachagua, a key figure in President William Ruto’s administration, faces 11 charges including corruption, insubordination, and fostering ethnically divisive politics.
The National Assembly voted overwhelmingly last week to impeach him, with 282 MPs backing the motion in the 349-member house, well above the two-thirds majority required.
Despite multiple failed attempts to halt the proceedings through the courts, Gachagua, also known as “Riggy G,” is expected to testify in his defense before the Senate’s final vote.
If the Senate, by a two-thirds majority, approves just one of the charges, the 59-year-old will be automatically removed from office, becoming the first deputy president to be ousted through impeachment.
Gachagua, who has consistently denied all charges, has described the accusations as baseless.
“These are nonsensical allegations,” he said, condemning the impeachment as a political betrayal that disregarded the will of the Kenyan electorate. His legal team has also argued that the process has been rushed and unfair, but a High Court ruling on Wednesday allowed the Senate trial to proceed.
Tensions have been simmering within the government in recent weeks, with Gachagua complaining that he has been sidelined by President Ruto.
He has also faced accusations of supporting youth-led protests against unpopular tax hikes, which turned violent in some instances.
Although Ruto has remained silent on the impeachment, Gachagua hinted that the proceedings had the president’s tacit approval, telling supporters, “This could not have happened without his [Ruto’s] blessing.”
Speculation over Gachagua’s potential successors is already circulating in the Kenyan media, with names such as Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and Governor Anne Waiguru being floated as likely candidates.
While Gachagua has called on his supporters to remain calm, addressing churchgoers in central Kenya, he urged peace regardless of the Senate’s decision. “Kenya is our country, let’s maintain peace,” he said on Sunday.
If removed, Gachagua has indicated he will challenge the decision in court.
