Rigathi Gachagua, Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, faced an impeachment hearing Wednesday morning after the country’s National Assembly passed a motion for his removal.

The motion for proposed removal was made Tuesday, alleging that Gachagua violated multiple articles of the Kenyan Constitution, the Penal Code, and several Acts. It also listed multiple accusations of gross misconduct. The motion claimed:

1. H.E. the Deputy President has persistently made utterances threatening to
   discriminate, exclude, and unlawfully deny sections of the people of Kenya and regions of the Republic of Kenya equal opportunities for public service appointments and allocation of public resources;
2. H.E. the Deputy President has made unilateral public statements inconsistent with policy positions collectively adopted by the Government and contradicted the President on critical matters of governance and the exercise of the President’s function as a symbol of national unity; and
3. H. E. the Deputy President interfered with the running of Nairobi City County Government by inciting citizens against lawful directives of the County Government on the planning and relocation of markets and publicly disparaging the leadership of the County Government and its decisions.

The National Assembly voted to impeach the president on 11 grounds. The motion passed with 282 ayes and 44 noes.

Senate Speaker Amason Jeffah Kingi opened Wednesday’s hearing by discussing the gravity of the situation and outlining the process that lies ahead. For the impeachment to succeed, at least two-thirds of the Senate (45 of the 67 senators) are required to vote to uphold the charges. This is unprecedented, marking the first-ever impeachment proceeding against a sitting deputy president. Speaker Kingi addressed the matter stating:

Honourable Senators, This impeachment Motion is unique and unprecedented as it is the first ever to propose the removal from office, by impeachment, of a Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya. This moment calls for deep reflection on the critical responsibility of the Senate in investigating such proposals for removal of State Officers from office. The impeachment process is a fundamental tool of legislative oversight and a crucial aspect of the constitutional mechanism for checks and balances.

A motion was made to establish an 11-member Special Committee but was withdrawn for lack of a seconder. With the proposal for a Special Committee defeated, the impeachment of Gachagua will be conducted by the plenary, forcing him to face the full Senate. As a result, a trial date has been set for Wednesday, October 16, 2024.

Gachagua previously served as an administrative officer before being promoted to District Officer III in the former Kirinyaga District. He was elected deputy president in 2022 after serving as a member of Parliament for Mathira Constituency for five years.