By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Rumours have emerged that Kenya’s Parliament is plotting the impeachment of the country’s Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua for allegedly “undermining” the government.
The revelation made by the majority leader of the parliament may be an indication of a widening rift between President William Ruto and his deputy.
“It is true there is an impeachment motion against the Deputy President and as the member of parliament for Kikuyu, I have already appended my signature to it,” majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah said on Sunday.
“I will support that impeachment motion to stop a process where government is being undermined and sabotaged from within government,” he added.
Heritage Times HT reports that the East African country has in recent times battled civil unrest over high cost of living and controversial finance bill which seeks to raise tax but later dropped by President William Ruto after it was passed by the parliament.
The Deputy President has been accused of supporting the month-long protests, an allegation he denied.
He has alleged that he has been sidelined in the government inaugurated September 2022 which promised to build the economy and raise the standard of living common persons.
The Deputy President described the allegation against him as “a futile attempt to soil my name and hopefully create grounds for the mooted impeachment proceedings against me.”
On Sunday, he told reporters that any impeachment motion would require Ruto’s assent. “Without the president’s go-ahead, the motion cannot reach parliament. If it reaches parliament, it is the President who has authorised it.”
Gachagua commands support in Kenya’s populous central region, and efforts to unseat him could stir agitation, which could add to the frustrations of Ruto’s government.
