Kenyan lawmakers are preparing to initiate impeachment proceedings against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of undermining the government. This development reflects an escalating rift between President William Ruto and his deputy, according to parliament’s majority leader.
The move comes at a challenging time for the government, which has been grappling with months of deadly protests over a contentious finance bill. The protests forced President Ruto to withdraw the legislation in June and dismiss nearly his entire cabinet.
“It is true there is an impeachment motion against the deputy president, and as the member of parliament for Kikuyu, I have already appended my signature to it,” said Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah on Sunday. “I will support that impeachment motion to stop a process where the government is being undermined and sabotaged from within.”
Efforts to reach Gachagua’s spokespersons for comment on Monday were unsuccessful.
In recent statements, Gachagua has expressed concerns about being sidelined and denied allegations linking him and his associates to the unrest. He called the accusations “a futile attempt to soil my name and hopefully create grounds for the mooted impeachment proceedings against me.”
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Gachagua emphasized that any impeachment motion would require President Ruto’s approval. “Without the president’s go-ahead, the motion cannot reach parliament. If it reaches parliament, it is the president who has authorized it,” he stated.
This internal division between the country’s top leaders marks a new phase of political tension in Kenya, potentially complicating the government’s ability to address pressing national challenges.
(Reuters)
