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Kenyan lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to impeach Vice President Rigathi Gachagua this week over allegations of corruption, heightening political tensions with the Kenyan president, William Ruto, the BBC reported.

Gachagua has been accused of acquiring properties worth $40 million through corrupt means. The wealthy businessman has denied the charges and has said that most of the houses and land in question belonged to his late brother’s estate.

The deputy is also under fire for allegedly supporting anti-government protests and practicing ethnically divisive politics, according to Deutsche Welle.

Gachagua, as Ruto’s running mate in the 2022 election, helped him secure a large block of votes from central Kenya. At the time, Gachagua also battled corruption allegations.

Local media also reported a growing political rift between Ruto and Gachagua in recent months.

Political alliances shifted after Ruto dismissed most of his cabinet, replacing them with members of the main opposition party following violent mass protests against unpopular tax increases this summer.

Last month, police summoned a number of lawmakers allied with the vice president to answer charges involving their alleged funding of the protests in June.

Gachagua is the first Kenyan deputy to be impeached by the lower house of the legislature. The upper chamber will now decide on his impeachment, wrote Reuters.

Meanwhile, the vice president plans to challenge the impeachment in court, according to the Associated Press. He has also warned that his removal from office would ignite discontent among his supporters and among his tribe, the largest in the country.

President Ruto has yet to comment publicly on the matter.

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