Religious Leaders in Kenya Call for Calm amid Historic Impeachment of Country’s Deputy President

The motion to impeach Gachagua was presented to Parliament on October 1, 2024, by member of parliament Mwengi Mutuse who represents Kibwezi West. 

The motion outlined 11 charges, including accusations of corruption, gross misconduct, and violations of constitutional provisions.

Mr. Gachagua whose impeachment process at the Senate started on Wednesday, October 16 is also alleged to have amassed wealth incompatible with his known legitimate income.

He is said to have engaged in public utterances that threatened to incite ethnic divisions, and to have interfered with county government operations.

In their statement, the religious leaders had also questioned President William Samoei Ruto’s silence on the impeachment process.

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“We call upon His Excellency President William Ruto to speak on this matter of the impeachment of the Deputy President,” the faith-based leaders said.

Describing the president’s position on the impeachment as “critical”, they said, “This is not only a matter of national interest, but also one concerning the principal assistant of the president.”

“Kenyans have a right to know the president’s position on the matter,” they said.

The religious leaders underlined the significance of the president’s voice on the impeachment proceedings noting that it is the first time such an event is occurring in the nation's history.

Mr. Gachagua’s impeachment was supported by the framework established by the Constitution of Kenya (2010). His impeachment process follows the same legal steps outlined in the Constitution, specifically Articles 150(1)(a) and 150(1)(b), which address the grounds and procedures for removing a deputy president from office.

Gachagua’s impeachment process had passed the first stage when 281 members of the Kenyan parliament voted for his ouster.

In the senate, the lawmakers found the Deputy guilty of five out of the eleven charges that he was facing.

In their October 16 statement, the religious leaders faulted the lawmakers for uniting in the impeachment of the country’s deputy president, urging them to channel the same energy into addressing critical issues affecting the people of God in the East African nation.

The religious leaders lamented that the current focus on impeachment has overshadowed more pressing concerns that they said impact the daily lives of Kenyans.

While emphasizing the need for the government to act with urgency on the impeachment process, the religious leaders urged the Kenyan people to maintain peace regardless of the outcome of the process.

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According to the Kenyan Constitution, the deputy president is to be immediately removed from office if the Senate votes to impeach him with the required majority. 

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.