(Bloomberg) — Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua appeared before the country’s first impeachment trial, the latest challenge to William Ruto’s administration in the wake of this year’s deadly anti-government protests.
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The motion advanced to the Senate after members of the National Assembly approved Gachagua’s removal from office for allegedly stealing public funds and making inflammatory remarks to stir ethnic hatred. A vote is expected on Thursday evening to decide his fate.
Gachagua, 59, denies wrongdoing. He’s vowed to fight the charges, saying he won’t resign. The motion requires a two-thirds majority to remove the deputy president from office.
Ruto and Gachagua won disputed 2022 elections on a joint ticket, narrowly beating five-time contender Raila Odinga. Their relationship has degenerated sharply since July, when the president teamed up with opposition leader Odinga to form a so-called government of national unity in the wake of the uprising against plans for additional taxes.
Kenya, at high-risk of debt distress and badly plagued by corruption, has sought the help of the International Monetary Fund to deal with the twin challenges. The country can ill afford a prolonged period of divisive politics shortly after at least 60 people were killed in marches against proposed levies on everything from bread to diapers.
The government is struggling to fund its budget, while tax revenue is below target and arrears to suppliers and contractors are ballooning. After doing a U-turn on the proposed extra taxes following the unrest, Kenya has a revenue gap of $2.7 billion, forcing Treasury to trim spending and increase borrowing.
Kenya’s central bank has lowered its full-year growth forecast after the economy slowed in the second quarter.
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Gachagua’s impeachment proceedings are “more of a distraction” as the government looks to introduce a new finance bill and advance other economic reforms, according to Andrew Smith, senior Africa analyst at risk firm Verisk Maplecroft.
With an impending IMF graft audit, “there is an off-chance Gachagua’s impeachment may help Kenya’s economic fortunes,” Smith said in emailed response to queries.
The fallout undermines Ruto’s so-called bottom-up economic plan which targets five key areas — agriculture, SMEs, universal health-care, affordable housing and information and communication technologies — which are seen as key in generating jobs and powering growth.
While a more urban, educated and critical electorate is reshaping Kenyan politics, as witnessed in the June protests, ethnic divides remain a prominent factor.
There are fears this removal bid may increase the tension between Ruto’s Kalenjin supporters and Gachagua’s Kikuyu community in parts of the Rift Valley, a flash point for previous violence that rocked Kenya.
If the deputy president is impeached, it’s likely that “Gachagua and his allies will remain a thorn” in Ruto’s side, likely launching an anti-government campaign, according to Smith.
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