Kenya's Vice President apparently faces ousting from his position
In an unprecedented move in Kenyan history, Vice President Rigathi Gachagua was stripped of his position. On Thursday, following a vote by the Parliament, the Senate of Kenya also decided to impeach Gachagua. President William Ruto, in turn, appointed Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki as Gachagua's replacement.
Gachagua was charged with various offenses, such as blatant disregard for the constitution, including inciting judges and inciting ethnic division within the country. However, the Senate did not find concrete evidence to support allegations of corruption and money laundering.
At 59 years old, Gachagua, who vehemently denied all accusations as "ludicrous," became the first Kenyan vice president to be impeached. The impeachment process had been introduced with the 2010 amendment to the country's constitution.
Gachagua's removal from office represents the culmination of his tense relationship with President William Ruto. In recent times, Gachagua had expressed his feelings of being progressively excluded by Ruto, while also confronting accusations of backing protests that were critical of the government.
The protests, which involved young people initially demonstrating peacefully, escalated into violence in June after Parliament, under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), approved a series of tax increases. The parliamentary complex was stormed by protesters, resulting in a fire breakout. These were the most intense anti-government protests Kenya had witnessed since achieving independence from Great Britain in 1963.
President William Ruto's appointment of Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki as Gachagua's successor marked a significant shift in Kenya's political landscape. Despite the impeachment, Gachagua's legacy as a political figure remains controversial, with some viewing it as a testament to the strength of Kenya's democratic processes.
