Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was impeached on Thursday October 17 after months of tension between President William Ruto and him. In a late-night session, senators found Gachagua guilty on five of eleven charges, including corruption and abuse of power, resulting in his dismissal. This marks the first time a Kenyan deputy president has been removed under the 2010 Constitution.
Gachagua, 59, denied the charges as political propaganda. He was accused of embezzlement, influence peddling, and fraudulent property acquisition. After attending the morning hearings, he fell ill and was hospitalized, prompting his lawyers to request a postponement, which the upper house rejected. His legal team left in protest, and some senators questioned the urgency of the late-night vote. Gachagua had been a key figure in Ruto’s 2022 presidential victory, despite past corruption allegations.