BREAKING NEWS: Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Impeached

….what’s next?

Nairobi, Kenya – The National Assembly has by a majority vote impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Gachagua becomes the first sitting Deputy President in Kenya to be impeached in the history of Kenya’s politics.

A total of 281 MPs voted in favour of Gachagua’s ouster motion against 44 who voted against the motion.

One MP abstained from voting.

Only 233 MPs were needed to support the motion for Gachagua to stand impeached.

Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse preferred 11 charges upon which MPs voted to send President William Ruto’s principal assistant packing.

The accusations include gross violation of the constitution, undermining the President, undermining devolution, irregular acquisition of wealth, publicly attacking a judge, intimidating acting Kemsa CEO, promoting ethnicity and insubordination to the President among other charges.

“Article 145 (2) of the constitution sets a threshold of at least two thirds of members of the National Assembly to be considered in support of a special motion for proposed removal of the Deputy President of the Republic for the motion to be carried,” Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said.

“According to the results of the decision on the motion that I have just declared, a total of 281 members being more than two thirds of the members of the National Assembly, have voted in support of the motion,” he said.

“The House will resume tomorrow morning, Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 9.30am to resume the regular business as scheduled by the House Business Committee.”

Nairobi, Kenya – The National Assembly has by a majority vote impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Gachagua becomes the first sitting Deputy President in Kenya to be impeached in the history of Kenya’s politics.

A total of 281 MPs voted in favour of Gachagua’s ouster motion against 44 who voted against the motion.

One MP abstained from voting.

Only 233 MPs were needed to support the motion for Gachagua to stand impeached.

Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse preferred 11 charges upon which MPs voted to send President William Ruto’s principal assistant packing.

The accusations include gross violation of the constitution, undermining the President, undermining devolution, irregular acquisition of wealth, publicly attacking a judge, intimidating acting Kemsa CEO, promoting ethnicity and insubordination to the President among other charges.

“Article 145 (2) of the constitution sets a threshold of at least two thirds of members of the National Assembly to be considered in support of a special motion for proposed removal of the Deputy President of the Republic for the motion to be carried,” Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said.

“According to the results of the decision on the motion that I have just declared, a total of 281 members being more than two thirds of the members of the National Assembly, have voted in support of the motion,” he said.

“The House will resume tomorrow morning, Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 9.30am to resume the regular business as scheduled by the House Business Committee.”

What happens after a Deputy President is Impeachment

Under Kenyan law, if a Deputy President is impeached, the process involves several steps. The National Assembly must first vote on the impeachment motion, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass. If successful, the motion is then sent to the Senate for trial.

The Senate conducts a hearing to determine whether the Deputy President should be removed based on the charges. If two-thirds of Senators vote in favour, the Deputy President is removed from office. The Constitution provides for the Deputy President’s replacement afterward.

The process of replacing a Deputy President that has been successfully removed from office is guided by the 2010 Constitution. The President is required to nominate a replacement within 14 days.

The nominee must then be vetted and approved by a majority vote in both the National Assembly and the Senate. If approved, the nominee is formally appointed as the new Deputy President. If the nominee is rejected, the President must submit another name for approval.