Kenya’s parliament has started the final stage of proceedings to remove Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office, just two years after his election alongside President William Ruto.
Last week, an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly voted to approve his impeachment, paving the way for the two-day Senate trial that will determine his fate.
Gachagua faces 11 charges, including corruption, inciting ethnic divisions, and undermining the government—all of which he denies.
The impeachment comes after a fallout between the deputy president and President Ruto, who has so far remained silent on the issue.
The Senate opted to hold the trial before the full house, rather than forming an 11-member committee to investigate the charges.
At the start of the proceedings, Gachagua stood before the Senate chamber as the charges were read out, pleading not guilty to each one.
Analysts believe the impeachment is likely to be upheld, as ruling party senators are expected to be supported by the main opposition, as was the case during the National Assembly vote.
For Gachagua to be removed from office, at least two-thirds of the Senate’s 67 members must approve the motion. If passed, Gachagua would be permanently barred from holding public office.
On Wednesday, the Senate reviewed evidence presented by the National Assembly against Gachagua, including witness testimonies. Kenyan media reported that videos of Gachagua comparing Kenya to a shareholding company were shown during the hearing.
The deputy president had sparked outrage last year when he suggested that those who voted for the current administration were more deserving of government appointments and contracts.
As the trial progressed, protests erupted in Gachagua’s home region of Mount Kenya, where more than 1,000 people blocked a highway in Kagio town to oppose the impeachment.
Thursday’s proceedings will focus on evidence and witnesses from Gachagua’s defense, with the Senate expected to debate the motion for two hours before voting later in the evening.
The Senate may extend the trial to Friday, which is the legal deadline for the case to be heard.
Should the impeachment pass, Gachagua is expected to challenge the decision in court.
The deputy president has made numerous unsuccessful attempts to halt the impeachment process, filing at least 26 court cases.
On Tuesday, a judge ruled that the Senate should proceed with its constitutional duty, and a three-judge bench declined a similar request just before the trial began on Wednesday.
One of the key accusations against Gachagua is that he amassed assets worth 5.2 billion Kenyan shillings ($40m; £31m) in just two years as deputy president, allegedly through corrupt means.
Gachagua has defended himself, claiming that many of the properties in question were inherited from his late brother.
Gachagua, a wealthy businessman from the politically influential Mount Kenya region, rose from being a first-time MP to deputy president after Ruto selected him as his running mate in the August 2022 election.
At the time, he was facing corruption charges, which were dropped after he became deputy president.
His impeachment trial has dominated national conversations in recent weeks, with some Kenyans seeing it as a distraction from pressing economic issues, such as the high cost of living.
In June, deadly protests broke out over unpopular tax hikes, revealing a deep rift between Ruto and Gachagua.
The deputy president now faces accusations of undermining security agencies, following comments in which he blamed the intelligence agency for those protests.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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