News Mania Desk/ Piyal Chatterjee / 9th October 2024
Deputy President of Kenya, RigathiGachagua, promised to fight the impeachment process to the very end ahead of Tuesday’s parliamentary session. He is being accused of undermining the administration, inciting ethnic hate, and enriching himself.
Gachagua endorsed President William Ruto in his 2022 election win and helped earn a huge block of votes from the populous Mount Kenya region. Since then, the deputy president claims he has been marginalized, citing stories in the local media that he and Ruto have had disagreements over shifting political allegiances.Following widespread demonstrations over unpopular tax hikes in June and July that resulted in the deaths of over fifty people, Ruto dismissed the majority of his cabinet and appointed members of the main opposition.
Gachagua’s attempt to halt the impeachment process, which was started a week ago by Ruto’s coalition supporters, was denied by the high court. Later on Tuesday, Gachagua, who has declined to step down, was scheduled to defend himself in parliament.
“I am innocent of all these charges,”Gachagua provided a thorough rejection of the accusations, which included accumulating a big portfolio of mysterious properties and encouraging “ethnic balkanization,” at a news conference late on Monday.”I have no intention whatsoever to resign from this job. I will fight to the end.”
The senate will be asked to support the impeachment move by the same margin if the national assembly votes to do so by a majority of more than two thirds.
Many in Ruto’s coalition were incensed by Gachagua’s comparison of the government to a business and his implication that coalition supporters had first dibs on development projects and jobs in the public sector.
