(Bloomberg) — Kenyan Vice President Rigathi Gachagua appeared for the country’s first impeachment trial, the latest challenge to William Ruto’s government in the wake of this year’s deadly anti-government protests.
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The motion was sent to the Senate after members of the National Assembly approved Gachagua’s resignation for stealing public funds and making inflammatory remarks to stir up ethnic hatred. A vote is expected on Thursday evening to decide his fate.
Gachagua, 59, denies wrongdoing. He has vowed to fight the charges and says he will not resign. The motion requires a two-thirds majority to remove the vice president from office.
Ruto and Gachagua won the disputed 2022 elections on a joint ticket, narrowly defeating five-time contender Raila Odinga. Their relationship has deteriorated sharply since July, when the president formed a so-called national unity government with opposition leader Odinga in the wake of the uprising against plans for extra taxes.
Kenya, which is at high risk of debt problems and heavily plagued by corruption, has sought help from the International Monetary Fund to tackle these two problems. The country cannot afford a prolonged period of divisive politics soon after at least 60 people were killed during marches against proposed tariffs on everything from bread to diapers.
The government is struggling to finance its budget, while tax revenues remain below target and payment arrears to suppliers and contractors are ballooning. After reversing proposed additional taxes following the unrest, Kenya faces a $2.7 billion revenue shortfall, forcing the finance ministry to cut spending and increase borrowing.
Kenya’s central bank cut its full-year growth forecast after the economy slowed in the second quarter.
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Gachagua’s impeachment is “more of a distraction” as the government looks to introduce a new financial law and other economic reforms, said Andrew Smith, senior Africa analyst at risk firm Verisk Maplecroft.
With an impending audit by the IMF, “there is a remote chance that Gachagua’s impeachment will benefit Kenya’s economic fortunes,” Smith said in response to emailed questions.
The fallout undermines Ruto’s so-called bottom-up economic plan that focuses on five key areas – agriculture, SMEs, universal health care, affordable housing and information and communications technologies – seen as crucial for generating jobs and boosting growth.
While a more urban, educated and critical electorate is reshaping Kenyan politics, as evidenced by the June protests, ethnic divisions remain a prominent factor.
There are fears that this removal bid will increase tension between Ruto’s Kalenjin supporters and Gachagua’s Kikuyu community in parts of the Rift Valley, a flashpoint for previous violence that rocked Kenya.
If the vice president is impeached, it is likely that “Gachagua and his allies will remain a thorn in Ruto’s side,” Smith said.
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