Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been removed from office following a Senate vote, despite his absence from his impeachment trial due to hospitalisation.
Gachagua, known as “Riggy G,” was expected to defend himself against 11 charges, but his lawyer requested a postponement, citing his client’s chest pains and treatment at The Karen Hospital.
Senators chose to proceed without him, leading Gachagua’s defense team to walk out. The Senate found Gachagua guilty of five charges, including inciting ethnic divisions and violating his oath of office, which secured the two-thirds majority needed for his removal.
The impeachment comes after months of political tension between Gachagua and President William Ruto, with their fallout escalating in June when Gachagua publicly criticized the intelligence agency over its handling of mass protests.
Last week, the National Assembly overwhelmingly voted to impeach Gachagua, setting the stage for the Senate trial. Gachagua, cleared of six other charges, including corruption, called the impeachment a “political lynching” and vowed to challenge the decision.
His removal consolidates Ruto’s power, marking an end to their partnership just two years after being elected together.
Our former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is still in Karen hospital under close medical attention pic.twitter.com/HWQ3idJ3A1
— AFROMEDIA (@Afromediake) October 17, 2024
