Kenyan Senate impeaches Deputy President

The Kenyan Senate has impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, despite a request from his lawyer to delay the proceedings due to Gachagua’s hospitalization, as the lawmakers proceeded with the vote on Thursday evening.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi had set a deadline for Gachagua to appear, but his absence led to the impeachment.

Gachagua, aged 59, becomes the first deputy president in Kenya’s history to be impeached as the Senate voted on 11 charges, with five counts leading to his removal which include allegations related to shareholding, undermining judicial independence, violations of the National Cohesion and Integrity Act, and gross misconduct, including public attacks on the national intelligence service.

Earlier this year, Gachagua had publicly criticized the intelligence agency, accusing it of failing to properly brief President William Ruto on the scale of protests against tax hikes, in total, 281 MPs supported the impeachment, while 44 opposed it, and one abstained.