Kenyan Court Upholds Gachagua Impeachment

A Kenyan court on Monday upheld the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and barred him from holding public office for life. The three-judge bench ruled that the Senate's failure to adjourn proceedings after Gachagua fell ill during the October 2024 impeachment trial violated his constitutional rights but did not invalidate the outcome.

The court awarded him 50 million Kenyan shillings in compensation for the rights violation.

The judges dismissed Gachagua's broader claims that the entire impeachment process was politically motivated and biased. They affirmed that the charges against him — including corruption, inciting ethnic divisions and undermining the government — were properly before the Senate. The ruling also confirmed the appointment of Kithure Kindiki as the new deputy president.

According to the BBC report of the judgment, the court found the impeachment process itself lawful despite the procedural breach. Gachagua's lawyers had argued he was denied a fair hearing and that the charges were baseless. His legal team said they would appeal the decision.

Gachagua, who has campaigned against the government since his removal, urged his supporters to remain calm. He told them to "wait for next year to express their anger at the ballot box" in the 2026 general election.