Kenya: Deputy President's Impeachment Trial Begins

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Above: Rigathi Gachagua addresses the media during a press conference at his official residence in Nairobi on Oct. 7, 2024. Image copyright: Luis Tato/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

  • Kenya's Senate began the impeachment trial against Deputy Pres. Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday, just hours after a three-judge bench declined a request to halt proceedings — the latest of at least 26 petitions his legal team has filed so far.

  • This comes as the National Assembly — the lower house of parliament — approved his impeachment last week on 11 charges, including corruption, inciting ethnic hatred, and undermining government.

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The Spin

Narrative A

Apart from being the first time this process has been used in Kenya, the looming impeachment of Gachagua is no shock for the nation, with most Kenyans supporting the proceedings. Presidents have historically fired their deputies once their partners become more of a liability or threat than supporter, so this series of events was to be expected.

The Conversation

Narrative B

It's unlikely that removing a scapegoat such as Gachagua from office would lead to any major development for governance in Kenya — all this impeachment mess is just a temporary distraction from real issues affecting Kenyans everyday. Rather than wasting time and energy on this matter, authorities should focus on addressing real concerns.

Council on Foreign Relations

Metaculus Prediction