Kenya’s Deputy President Seeks Court Order to Halt Impeachment

By Humphrey Malalo and Hereward Holland

NAIROBI – Kenya’s Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua submitted a petition to the high court in Nairobi on Thursday to suspend an impeachment process initiated against him by lawmakers earlier this week, as indicated by the court documents.

Lawmakers aligned with President William Ruto introduced the impeachment motion in parliament on Tuesday, alleging that Gachagua incited ethnic hatred, undermined the government, and accumulated a substantial and questionable property portfolio.

Gachagua has claimed he has been marginalized and refuted accusations from Ruto’s allies that he instigated violent anti-government protests earlier this year.

In his petition, Gachagua described the impeachment motion as a fabrication, labeling it a "choreographed political lynching aimed at subverting the will of the Kenyan people" as expressed in the presidential election held in August 2022.

Originating from the influential Mount Kenya region, Gachagua played a crucial role in mobilizing a significant voting bloc that aided Ruto’s ascent to power. However, reports suggest that their relationship has deteriorated since then.

Following Ruto’s decision to appoint members of the main opposition coalition to his government after protests against proposed tax increases in June and July—during which over 50 individuals lost their lives—Gachagua’s political influence has waned.

Ruto has yet to publicly comment on the impeachment proceedings, and inquiries directed to his office this week went unanswered.

The impeachment process will kick off with a public participation forum on Friday. Gachagua is set to respond to the impeachment allegations in the lower chamber of parliament on October 8.

Gachagua argued that requiring the public to submit oral and written comments before he can defend himself undermines his right to a fair hearing.

"I possess substantial evidence that refutes each of the 11 alleged grounds outlined in the impeachment motion, which will not be addressed if the public participation exercise proceeds," he stated in the petition documents.