- Trump says Zelensky 'should never have let' Ukraine war start
- Harris woos undecided voters as Trump riles critics over Ukraine
- Hayes turns focus to US women's World Cup goal
- Zelensky seeks EU, NATO backing for 'victory plan'
- Bosch stuns Australia as South Africa reach Women's T20 World Cup final
- What we know about One Direction star Liam Payne's death
- Nicotine pouches rise in popularity as US youth tobacco use hits 25-year-low
- Mendis clinches Sri Lanka series win over West Indies
- Israel says killed Hamas chief Sinwar in Gaza
- Panel urges Secret Service shake-up after Trump assassination bid
- Trump, Harris back on friendly ground after tough interrogations
- Pressure on Ten Hag is 'too much': Brentford boss Frank
- Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar: Israel's most wanted man
- ECB bans transgender women from women's professional cricket
- Monaco aiming to last in Ligue 1 title fight with PSG
- Kenya deputy president impeachment trial in chaos after he falls ill
- English coaches 'capable' of managing national team, says Southampton boss
- Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies retires from international rugby
- Real Madrid fans dismiss 'fake' Mbappe rape reports
- IMF chief calls for unity on shared challenges in 'deeply troubled times'
- Australia post 134-5 in semi-final of women's T20 World Cup
- Tech giants go nuclear in AI arms race
- 1,100 mpox deaths recorded across Africa: CDC
- UK's National Gallery bans liquids after activist art attacks
- Onboard wifi is latest frontline in airline competition
- Instagram moves to face rising tide of sextortion scams
- Tributes to One Direction's Liam Payne after hotel balcony fall
- Bangladesh court issues arrest warrant for ex-leader Hasina
- Israel says 'checking' if Hamas chief Sinwar killed in Gaza
- Victims of Vietnam tycoon's record scam count losses after sentence
- EU leaders talk tough on migration, but divided on action
- Global stocks climb as ECB cut rates and tech rebounds
- Biden heads to Germany to discuss Ukraine, Middle East
- US retail sales pick up pace in September
- Pakistan sense series-levelling win over England after Sajid heroics
- Kenya deputy president falls ill during impeachment trial
- Mbappe to keep any explanations for Swedish justice, 'if necessary' - lawyer
- 345,000 Gazans face 'catastrophic' hunger this winter: UN
- ECB makes back-to-back interest rate cuts as inflation falls
- France's richest family, Red Bull in 'exclusive talks' for Paris FC takeover
- Public money 'must be at core' of new climate pact: UN's Stiell
- Russian MPs back ban on 'propaganda' of childless lifestyles
- New Zealand on top after India bowled out for 46 in rain-hit Test
- UK's Lammy visits China in bid to reset London-Beijing ties
- What's next in Swedish rape investigation into Mbappe?
- Nestle overhauls executive team as sales slump
- US B-2 bombers strike Huthi facilities in Yemen: military
- Eurozone stocks climb as ECB rate cut looms
- Lebanon crowdfunded ambulances under fire in Israel-Hezbollah war
- S Korean Nobel winner Han Kang hopes daily life 'won't change much'
CMSC | -0.65% | 24.76 | $ | |
RIO | -1.34% | 65.075 | $ | |
SCS | -0.15% | 13.12 | $ | |
BCC | -3.29% | 142.32 | $ | |
JRI | -0.3% | 13.13 | $ | |
NGG | -1.44% | 67.17 | $ | |
BCE | 0.2% | 33.548 | $ | |
RBGPF | 1.67% | 60.5 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.32% | 25.07 | $ | |
BTI | -1.29% | 35.345 | $ | |
RYCEF | 0.68% | 7.35 | $ | |
RELX | 0.91% | 48.594 | $ | |
VOD | -1.13% | 9.74 | $ | |
GSK | -0.22% | 39.125 | $ | |
AZN | -0.42% | 77.98 | $ | |
BP | 1.26% | 31.325 | $ |
Kenya deputy president falls ill during impeachment trial
The impeachment trial of Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was thrown into disarray on Thursday after his lawyer said he had fallen ill and was in hospital.
The news prompted Senate speaker Amason Kingi to suspend sittings until 5:00 pm (1400 GMT), the latest twist in a political drama that has transfixed the East African country.
"The sad reality is that the deputy president of the Republic of Kenya has been taken sick, very sick, and... he is in hospital," lawyer Paul Muite told the upper house of parliament, explaining Gachagua's absence from the chamber.
Kingi said neverthless that Gachagua was expected to take the stand at 5:00 pm. "This is a time-bound process, unfortunately. It is so ordered," he added.
The Senate had been expected to give its verdict on Thursday evening at the end of the second day of the impeachment trial against the number two to President William Ruto.
It follows a historic vote last week in the lower house, the National Assembly, to impeach Gachagua on 11 charges including corruption, insubordination, undermining the government and practising ethnically divisive politics.
The Senate trial went ahead after the 59-year-old Gachagua, also known as "Riggy G", failed in multiple court bids to halt the process.
Gachagua has denied all the charges -- and no criminal proceedings have been launched against him -- but he will automatically be removed from office if the Senate approves his impeachment.
If this happens, he would be the first deputy president to be ousted in this manner since impeachment was introduced in Kenya's revised 2010 constitution.
Gachagua, who has protested that he is being treated like a "spent cartridge", can however fight the impeachment in the courts once the parliamentary process is completed.
- 'Nonsensical allegations' -
Among the names of possible successors floated by the Kenyan media are Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki, Foreign Minister and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and a county governor, Anne Waiguru.
Gachagua's chances of surviving the impeachment process are slim if opposition members in the 67-seat Senate back the ruling party as witnessed in the National Assembly vote on October 9.
Unlike the process in the lower house, where MPs delivered their verdict on the entire motion, senators need to back just one charge, by at least two-thirds of the votes, for the impeachment to succeed.
An overwhelming 282 MPs in the 349-member assembly had overwhelmingly voted to impeach Gachagua, well over the more than two-thirds required.
A powerful businessman from Kenya's biggest tribe, the Kikuyu, Gachagua weathered previous corruption scandals to become deputy leader as Ruto's running mate in the closely fought 2022 election.
But in recent weeks, he has complained of being sidelined by the president, while also being accused of supporting youth-led anti-government protests that broke out in June.
Political tensions have been running high since the sometimes deadly demonstrations erupted over unpopular tax hikes, exposing divisions in the top echelons of power.
At a media briefing ahead of last week's vote, Gachagua vehemently rejected what he called "nonsensical allegations" and said the efforts to oust him disregarded the will of the Kenyan people in 2022.
"This is what we call political deceit, conmanship and betrayal."
Addressing churchgoers in his stronghold of central Kenya on Sunday, Gachagua nevertheless called for his supporters to remain calm.
"Let's preach and maintain peace irrespective of the outcome. Kenya is our country," he said.
His lawyers have argued that the impeachment process was unfair and fast-tracked. But in the latest of numerous rulings, a High Court decided Wednesday against suspending the entire process, clearing the way for the Senate hearings to proceed.
Ruto has not given any public comment on the impeachment, but Gachagua has said the process could not have gone ahead without his boss's blessing.
A.Gasser--BTB