Allies of Kenyan President William Ruto launched a motion in parliament on Tuesday to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of inciting ethnic hatred and undermining the government.
The growing rift between President Ruto and Deputy President Gachagua has recently come to light, with Gachagua claiming he has been sidelined. He has denied accusations from Ruto’s allies that he was behind the violent anti-government protests earlier this year.
Ruto has not made any public statements regarding the impeachment effort, and his spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. Gachagua’s office also did not respond to requests for comment.
Gachagua, who hails from the populous Mount Kenya region, played a key role in mobilizing voters that helped Ruto secure victory in the 2022 election. However, his influence has waned since Ruto included members of the main opposition coalition in the government, following protests against planned tax hikes in June and July, during which over 50 people were killed.
The impeachment motion, introduced by Mwengi Mutuse, a member of parliament from Ruto’s coalition, was signed by approximately 83% of the 349 lawmakers in the National Assembly, surpassing the one-third threshold required for a vote.
If the motion is passed by a two-thirds majority in the lower house, the Senate will hear the charges and may form a special committee to investigate them, giving Gachagua or his representative the opportunity to respond to the allegations.
Should at least two-thirds of the Senate vote to uphold the impeachment, Gachagua will be dismissed from his position.
“A special motion before the House presents an unprecedented constitutional moment in our democracy,” said parliamentary speaker Moses Wetang’ula, adding that the lower chamber would conduct a public participation program in the impeachment process on Friday.
Wetang’ula announced that Gachagua would be invited to parliament to respond to the charges on October 8.
In addition to accusing Gachagua of stirring ethnic tensions, the motion also alleges that he undermined the government by publicly contradicting President Ruto. Gachagua has faced backlash within Ruto’s coalition for comparing the government to a company and suggesting that those who voted for the coalition should receive priority in public sector jobs and development projects.
“The curse of Africa has always been tribalism and corruption,” Labour Minister Alfred Mutua posted on X (formerly Twitter). “This motion… is not about politics but about saving Kenya’s soul.”
However, Macharia Munene, a professor at the United States International University in Nairobi, suggested the government may be trying to divert attention from its own shortcomings. “The best way to divert attention from these crises is to create a crisis in the name of having to fix the deputy president,” Munene said.
