Kenya is currently facing a tense political situation following the impeachment of Vice President Rigathi Gachagua by the Kenyan Senate. This move comes after a majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) voted to remove him from office.
The impeachment was pushed forward despite Gachagua facing only six out of eleven corruption charges, with the parliament citing his misconduct in office as a key reason.
Gachagua’s troubles began last week when the lower house of Kenya’s parliament voted to expel him, accusing him of disrespecting the government he was part of.
During the impeachment session, a dramatic turn of events occurred when Gachagua’s lawyers claimed that their client had fallen ill. They requested the session be postponed, but the parliament refused. Following this refusal, the lawyers stormed out of the session, leaving the process to proceed without them.
It has been two years since Rigathi Gachagua and President William Ruto were elected to lead Kenya through a general election. However, relations between the two leaders quickly soured, with both accusing each other of dishonesty. This division eventually led to Gachagua’s removal from office.
After the parliament officially registered his expulsion in the national gazette, the situation worsened for Gachagua. His personal properties were targeted, and his security detail was reduced. The fifty officers who had been assigned to guard him were withdrawn, leaving him with minimal protection. Even while he was being treated for his illness, government forces removed the security detail assigned to the hospital.
As this political crisis unfolds, it is expected that Gachagua’s legal team will file a lawsuit challenging his impeachment. If this happens, Kenya could face further political instability. However, some sources suggest that Gachagua’s potential successors are eagerly waiting to take over the vice presidency.
According to Kenya’s electoral system, the vice president is not directly appointed by the president. Instead, the president nominates a candidate, and the citizens vote to confirm the choice. Three prominent figures have emerged as possible contenders for the position: Internal Affairs Minister Kithure Kindiki, State Governor of Mulanga Dr. Francis Irungu Kang’ata, and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi. Each of these candidates brings different strengths and political experience, and their future role will be decided by the people of Kenya.
As the situation continues to unfold, Kenya finds itself at a crucial moment in its political history. The outcome of this crisis will likely have lasting implications for the country’s governance and stability.
