Kenya Senate Set to Decide on Deputy President Gachagua’s Impeachment

Kenya’s Senate is poised to vote on Thursday regarding the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, marking a significant moment in the nation’s political landscape. This unprecedented trial comes after the National Assembly’s historic vote last week to impeach Gachagua on 11 charges, including corruption, insubordination, and ethnically divisive politics.

The Senate trial commenced on Wednesday, following Gachagua’s unsuccessful attempts in court to halt the impeachment proceedings. The 59-year-old deputy president, known as “Riggy G,” arrived at parliament just before the session opened and is expected to testify in his defense.

Gachagua has denied all allegations against him, asserting that no criminal charges have been filed. However, if the Senate votes to impeach him, he would automatically be removed from office, becoming the first deputy president in Kenya’s history to face impeachment under the revised 2010 constitution.

Feeling sidelined by President William Ruto, Gachagua described the treatment he has received as akin to being a “spent cartridge.” He may still challenge the impeachment in court once the parliamentary process concludes.

Potential successors mentioned in the media include Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki, Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi, and Governor Anne Waiguru. Gachagua’s chances of remaining in office appear slim, particularly if opposition members in the 67-seat Senate align with the ruling party, as they did during the National Assembly vote on October 9.

Unlike the lower house, where a simple majority was required, the Senate requires a two-thirds majority to support just one of the charges for impeachment to proceed. In the National Assembly, an overwhelming 282 out of 349 MPs voted to impeach Gachagua, exceeding the necessary two-thirds threshold.

Gachagua, a powerful figure from the Kikuyu community, previously weathered corruption scandals to become Ruto’s deputy in the closely contested 2022 elections. In recent weeks, he has expressed frustration over feeling marginalized and has been accused of backing youth-led anti-government protests that erupted in June amid rising tensions over unpopular tax increases.

At a media briefing before last week’s vote, Gachagua dismissed the allegations as “nonsensical” and claimed that the impeachment efforts disregarded the will of the Kenyan electorate. “This is what we call political deceit, conmanship, and betrayal,” he stated.

Addressing supporters in central Kenya, Gachagua urged calm, saying, “Let’s preach and maintain peace irrespective of the outcome. Kenya is our country.” His legal team has contended that the impeachment process is unfair and has moved too quickly; however, a High Court ruling on Wednesday allowed the Senate hearings to continue.

While President Ruto has remained silent on the impeachment, Gachagua has indicated that the process could not have proceeded without the president’s approval.