Rigathi Gachagua Kenyan Deputy President Impeach By Senate while Hospitalized
The Kenyan deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua has been impeached by Senate, this marks the first removal of a deputy president since the country’s 2010 constitutional reforms.
On Thursday October 17, during a session, the Senate found Gachagua guilty of five out of eleven charges leveled against him. This charges included corruption, money laundering, insubordination, ethnic divisiveness, and undermining the government. The Senate needed only one charge to secure his removal.
Gachagua whose impeachment follows similar vote by the National Assembly last week where the motion to Impeach him was overwhelmingly voted. The 59-year-old who has consistently denied all accusation leveled against him, was unable to defend himself because he was hospitalized for severe chest pain. Despite his absence, the Senate proceeded with the vote.
Earlier on Thursday Gachagua lawyer, Paul Muite, requested a delay of the proceedings citing that the deputy president had serious medical issues.
“The sad reality is that the deputy president of the Republic of Kenya has been taken seriously ill,” Muite said, asking for a brief adjournment.
However, the motion to delay the proceedings till Saturday was denied which prompted Gachagua’s lawyers to go out in protest.
Moreso, the president of Kenya, William Ruto, who has had a strain relationship with Gachagua for months, hasn’t made a comment since the impeachment.
