By Izidoro Twinamasiko
NEWS
Kenya’s now former deputy president Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua commonly known as Riggy G has been impeached by the senate a few days after the National assembly also known as the lower house overwhelmingly voted to impeach him after he was found guilty of charges not limited to threatening judges and practicing ethnically decisive politics but cleared of corruption and money laundering charges.
The move is reportedly a culmination of a bitter falling out with his now former boss H.E. William Samoei Ruto the current president of the republic of Kenya whom he helped win the 2022 General election by rallying support from the vote-rich Mount Kenya region.
While his fate was being determined by the senate, Riggy G was undergoing tests in hospital in the Nairobi Suburb of Karen.
“He came in with a lot of chest pain”. Karen Hospital’s Chief Cardiologist Dan Gikonyo told reporters, adding that Gachagua was in a stable condition but would remain in hospital for at least 48-72 hours.
However, attempts by his lawyers lead by Paul Muite to have the process halted to allow the accused time to recover and defend himself were declared futile by the senate under the leadership of speaker Amason Kingi of the Kenya Kwanza a political alliance in Kenya headed by President William Ruto. The decision not to pose the Thursday’s session prompted his lawyers to walk out in protest admitting that their client had a right to defend himself.
Gachagua had denied all the charges leveled against him and termed them as “nonsensical” and “outrageous” and claimed he was being treated like a spent “cartridge”.
“This is what we call political deceit, conmanship and betrayal “he said.
Gachagua had previously complained of being sidelined by the president while also being accused of supporting the youth-led anti-government protests that happened in June and claimed lives of the innocent citizens in Kenya. Gachagua’s complaints among other unknown reasons might have created a boomerang that has deprived him of his juicy job as the deputy president of the east African Country.
No criminal proceedings have been launched against the former deputy president also a businessman from the the kikuyu a biggest tribe in Kenya who reportedly weathered corruption scandals to become the second in command and he can now challenge the impeachment in the courts of law as the last resort to regain his glory and political authority in the East African country whose presidents have historically had issues with their deputies since independence.
As required by the constitution of the republic of Kenya, Gachagua’s impeachment news has been published in the Kenya Gazette and president William Ruto has 14 days to nominate his new deputy to have the vacuum left behind by Gachagua filled for the country to move forward.
Different sources in Kenya have come out with different possible successors to Gachagua including interior Minister Kithure Kindiki, Foreign Minister and prime cabinet secretary Musalia Mdavadi and a county governor Anne Waiguru.
Riggy G has become the first deputy president to be impeached after impeachment was introduced in Kenya’s 2010 constitution and as we await the president to nominate his deputy, it is not clear whether Gachagua will challenge his impeachment in the courts of law to try and survive for the remaining years of the term.
Kenyans and the whole world will also be waiting to hear from Ruto’s speech who has not said anything since the process of impeaching his now former deputy president began.
