Kenyan MPs have voted for the removal of the country’s Deputy President over accusations of corruption.
The Lawmakers also accused Rigathi Gachagua of practising ethnically divisive politics and undermining the Government
On Tuesday evening, Speaker Moses Wetangula announced that 281 MPs had adopted an 11-charge impeachment motion with 44 MPs voting against and one abstaining.
It means Gachagua has become the first Kenyan deputy president to be impeached by the National Assembly – the country’s Senate will decide if he gets ousted.
The 59-year-old politician, popularly known as “Riggy G”, has described allegations against him as “outrageous” and “sheer propaganda”.
Political tensions have been running high in the East African country since June when deadly demonstrations erupted over unpopular tax hikes, exposing a deep rift between Ruto and Gachagua.
Several MPs allied to Gachagua were summoned by police last month, accused of funding the protests – though no charges were brought.
Ahead of the vote, security was heightened in the capital, Nairobi, with police patrols and major roads leading to parliament blocked to the public.
According to local media ,about 20 lawyers were hired to defend Gachagua against the impeachment motion.
A total of 291 MPs, more than the 117 required by the constitution, signed the motion to initiate the impeachment process last week.
Gachagua failed in numerous court bids to stop the proceedings going ahead.
In a televised speech on Monday, he condemned Mwengi Mutuse, the MP who drafted the motion, calling the move “shameful and sensational”.
The motion lists 11 grounds for impeachment, including accusations that Gachagua amassed assets worth 5.2bn Kenyan shillings ($40m, £31m) in two years in unexplained wealth.
“I am innocent of all these charges,” Gachagua said.
“I have no intention whatsoever to resign from this job. I will fight to the end.”
He defended the controversial renovation for his official residence in the capital.
When big decisions are to be taken by MPs, the constitution stipulates that the public must be consulted first.
According to a parliamentary report, more than 200,000 responses were received as part of that process – of which 65% supported Gachagua’s impeachment, while nearly 34% opposed it.
On Sunday, Gachagua appealed to Ruto and MPs to forgive him for any wrongdoing during his tenure. He later clarified that his apology was not an admission of guilt.
Ruto is yet to comment about the impeachment motion publicly, but he is on record in the early days of his presidency as saying that he would never publicly humiliate his deputy.
BBC
