Homabay Town Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Kaluma has said that the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was not just a political process but a sacred national duty.
Two years after taking office, Gachagua fell out with President Ruto, resulting in his removal from office. The impeachment took place in 2024 while Gachagua was serving as deputy president, a development that drew intense parliamentary debate and a subsequent Senate review that confirmed his removal.
Taking to his X account on Sunday, September 28, 2025, Kaluma stressed that tribalism has no place in the country’s leadership and must be firmly resisted at all costs.
“Impeaching Gachagua was a sacred national duty,” Kaluma declared.
“We must keep tribalists far away from national leadership if we want to build a country where every Kenyan feels represented and included,” he added.
Kaluma’s remarks come nearly a year after Gachagua’s impeachment in October 2024, a historic event that saw Parliament vote overwhelmingly to remove him from office on grounds of alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office. The motion, which drew heated debate at the time, was described by its sponsors as necessary to protect the integrity of the presidency.
According to Kaluma, the decision to oust Gachagua was not a matter of partisan politics but one of safeguarding the unity and future of Kenya.
He argued that allowing tribal politics to dominate national leadership was a dangerous trend that would threaten cohesion and stability.
Warning against tribal politics
At the time of the impeachment, opponents called the motion politically motivated, while supporters argued it was a lawful remedy to alleged abuse of office.
That contestation has reshaped alliances and left questions about how parties select candidates and manage internal disputes.
As Kenya’s political calendar advances, the push to balance identity with inclusive governance is expected to remain a central theme in national discourse.
The impeachment of Gachagua marked the first time in Kenya’s history that a sitting deputy president was removed from office through such a process. The decision was later upheld by the Senate, cementing Gachagua’s removal and reshaping the country’s political landscape.
