Rigathi Gachagua: Kenya’s deputy president risks impeachment after falling out with William Ruto

Kenya’s Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been threatened with impeachment proceedings by lawmakers amid intense speculation that he has had a major fallout with President William Ruto.

The president’s allies in parliament have accused Gachagua of undermining the government, promoting ethnically divisive politics, having a role in fuelling the deadly protests that rocked the country in June, and of being involved in corruption.

The power struggle has led to concerns of instability at the heart of government, at a time when Kenya is in the throes of a deep economic and financial crisis.

Ruto chose Gachagua as his running-mate in the 2022 election, when he defeated former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in a bitterly contested election.

Gachagua comes from the vote-rich Mount Kenya region, and helped marshal support for Ruto.

But with members of Odinga’s party joining the government after the youth-led protests that forced Ruto to backdown from increasing taxes, the political dynamics have changed – and the deputy president looks increasingly isolated.

Legislators say they are preparing to table a motion in parliament, calling for impeachment proceedings to be instituted against him.

“I have already appended my signature to it,” said majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah.

Allies of the deputy president have launched several attempts in the High Court to prevent the motion from being tabled, but have failed.

Several legislators told local media that the one-third threshold has been passed, with nearly 250 having already backed the move to table the motion for debate.

“I was surprised that I was number 242 to sign it and there was still a queue [waiting to sign],” said legislator Didmus Barasa.

“It’s a foregone conclusion, the DP [deputy president] asked for it,” added another legislator, Rahim Dawood.

Gachagua has, however, struck a defiant tone, saying he has the backing of voters in his native central Kenya region.

“Two-hundred people cannot overturn the will of the people,” he said.

For the motion to pass, it would require the support at least two-thirds of members of the National Assembly and Senate, excluding its nominated members.

Backers of the motion are confident that it will sail through, especially as they can now also rely on the votes of Odinga’s party.