On Thursday, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua filed a petition in the High Court in Nairobi to stop an impeachment process initiated against him by lawmakers earlier this week, according to court documents.
The motion to impeach Gachagua was introduced in Parliament on Tuesday by allies of President William Ruto, who accused him of inciting ethnic hatred, undermining the government, and accumulating unexplained wealth. Gachagua, however, claims he has been marginalized and denies allegations from Ruto's camp that he was involved in violent anti-government protests earlier this year.
In the petition, Gachagua argued that the impeachment motion was based on lies and was part of a "choreographed political lynching" aimed at overturning the will of the Kenyan people, as expressed in the presidential election of August 2022.
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Gachagua, who hails from the populous Mount Kenya region, played a significant role in mobilizing voters to secure Ruto's victory, but reports suggest that their relationship has soured. His influence has waned since Ruto appointed members of the opposition coalition to government positions following protests in June and July against proposed tax increases, during which more than 50 people were killed.
President Ruto has yet to comment on the impeachment motion, and efforts to reach his office this week went unanswered.
The impeachment process is set to begin with a public participation program on Friday, and Gachagua is scheduled to respond to the allegations in Parliament on October 8. However, Gachagua argues that allowing the public to make oral and written submissions before he has a chance to defend himself violates his right to a fair hearing.
"I have a strong case that refutes each of the 11 charges in the impeachment motion, but these arguments will not be considered by the public if the participation process moves forward," Gachagua stated in the petition documents.
