Kenya lawmakers impeach deputy president, paving way for senate vote

By George Obulutsa, Ammu Kannampilly

NAIROBI (Reuters) -Kenya's parliament voted on Tuesday to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on charges including enriching himself and stirring ethnic hatred, the chamber's speaker said, paving the way for the senate to consider the motion.

"According to the results ... of the motion that I've 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," Moses Wetang'ula said.

Gachagua, who has denied all the charges, backed President William Ruto in his 2022 election win and helped secure a large block of votes from the populous central Kenya region. 

But in recent months, he has spoken of being sidelined, amid widespread reports in local media that he has fallen out with Ruto as political alliances have shifted.

Ruto dismissed most of his cabinet and brought in members of the main opposition following nationwide protests against unpopular tax increases in June and July in which more than 50 people were killed. 

On Tuesday evening, Gachagua urged lawmakers to "search your conscience" before voting.

"If you search your conscience and listen to the issues that have been raised and you find that there are no grounds to impeach the deputy president of Kenya, please make the right decision."

Members of parliament voted to impeach him by a margin of 281 to 44, with one abstention.

Kimani Ichung'wah, parliament's majority leader, said the 59-year-old politician had "violated not one, but eight provisions of our constitution."

At one point during the proceedings, he led lawmakers in a chant saying "Rigathi must go", describing him as "a great danger to our nationhood, a great danger to the unity of our republic."

Gachagua proclaimed his innocence, offering a detailed denial of the allegations, which include amassing a large unexplained property portfolio, and promoting "ethnic balkanisation".

"I will fight to the end," he told a press conference on the eve of the impeachment proceedings.  

The senate will now hear the charges and may appoint a special committee to investigate them, where Gachagua or his representative can respond to the allegations.

If at least two-thirds of the senate vote to uphold the impeachment, Gachagua will be dismissed.

Gachagua has filed a court petition to halt the proceedings, which were initiated by Ruto's coalition allies last week. 

Prior to the vote, TIFA Research, a pollster, found that a narrow majority of 41% of Kenyans supported the impeachment against 38% who opposed it.

Ruto has not commented publicly on the impeachment proceedings. 

Gachagua outraged many in Ruto's coalition for likening the government to a company and suggesting that those who voted for the coalition had first claim on public sector jobs and development projects.

(Reporting by George Obulutsa, Hereward Holland and Ammu Kannampilly; Editing by Christina Fincher, Ros Russell and Daniel Wallis)