Kenyan lawmakers voted on Tuesday to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, marking an unprecedented political event that has captivated the nation.
The motion, which accused the 59-year-old deputy of corruption, insubordination, undermining the government, and engaging in ethnically divisive politics, was passed with a decisive 282 votes in the 349-member National Assembly—well above the two-thirds majority required.
There were 44 votes against the motion and one abstention, as announced by Speaker Moses Wetangula.
This motion, a result of escalating tensions between Gachagua and President William Ruto, now moves to the Senate. If approved there, Gachagua will become the first deputy president to be removed through impeachment since Kenya’s 2010 constitutional revisions.
Following the vote, Gachagua responded with a brief statement, referencing Bible verses that encouraged thankfulness despite the circumstances.
During a heated 12-hour parliamentary session, Gachagua delivered a passionate defence, presenting a 500-page dossier to refute the charges against him. He appealed to lawmakers to “search your conscience… please make the right decision,” describing the proceedings as a “political process.”
Earlier, he had labelled the impeachment as “outrageous” and “sheer propaganda,” suggesting it was a scheme to remove him from office.
Gachagua, a prominent businessman from the Kikuyu tribe, previously weathered corruption allegations to become Ruto’s running mate in the tightly contested August 2022 election. However, in recent months, he has expressed frustration at being sidelined by the president.
He was also accused of supporting youth-led protests against the government, which erupted in June over unpopular tax increases, leading to heightened political tensions. Gachagua acknowledged that the impeachment motion could not have advanced without President Ruto’s endorsement.
Several MPs supporting Gachagua were questioned by police last month and accused of financing the demonstrations. However, no formal charges or judicial investigations have been initiated against the deputy president. Despite this, lawmakers listed 11 reasons for his impeachment, including allegations that he accumulated assets worth 5.2 billion shillings ($40 million) since the last election, a significant amount given his annual salary of $93,000.
As the process continues, Gachagua has vowed to “fight to the end” and will remain in office until the Senate decides. The impeachment motion was initially introduced on October 1, with 291 MPs endorsing it, far surpassing the 117-vote minimum needed.
Following the National Assembly’s decision, the Senate must convene within a week to review the motion and has ten days to consider it, allowing Gachagua the opportunity to challenge the evidence.
A two-thirds majority in the Senate is required for the motion to pass. Additionally, the decision can be appealed through the courts, providing a potential path for further legal challenges.