Majority Backing Gachagua Impeachment Are Raila Supporters, Poll Shows

NAIROBI, Kenya – A recent survey by Tifa Research has revealed that a significant portion of Kenyans supporting the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua are those who voted for opposition leader Raila Odinga in the 2022 general election.

According to the survey, 54 percent of Raila’s voters back the impeachment effort, compared to 34 percent of those who supported President William Ruto in last year’s polls.

The poll, conducted between October 1 and 4, 2024, across nine regions, highlights the political divide in attitudes toward Gachagua’s removal from office.

It shows that 41pc of Kenyans aware of the impeachment bid support the move, while 31% oppose it.

Notably, 69pc of those opposing Gachagua’s ouster are from his Mt Kenya political base, with only 20% of Mt Kenya respondents backing the impeachment.

When viewed through the lens of 2022 voting patterns, the contrast between supporters of the two main political camps is stark.

The majority of Raila Odinga’s backers (54pc) are in favor of the Deputy President’s impeachment, while 45 percent of Ruto’s supporters are against the bid.

These figures reflect the ongoing political polarization in Kenya, which has continued since Ruto narrowly won the 2022 elections with 50.49 percent of the vote against Raila’s 48.85 percent.

The survey also gauged the public’s opinion on Gachagua’s performance in office so far.

Among those who supported Ruto in 2022, 22pc rated Gachagua’s performance as “excellent,” while only 9pc of Raila’s voters shared that view.

Meanwhile, 32pc of Raila supporters described his performance as “average,” compared to 30pc of Ruto supporters.

However, more Raila voters (18pc) rated his performance as “poor” compared to just 7% of Ruto supporters.

The survey, which interviewed 1,892 Kenyans aged 18 and above through phone interviews, has a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percent.

The results were collected just before a two-day public participation process on Gachagua’s impeachment kicked off on October 4.

While the survey sheds light on public opinion, Tifa Research noted that it remains “too early to predict what the outcome of this impeachment process will be.”

The data, however, underscores the deep political divisions that continue to shape Kenya’s political landscape.

Gachagua, a key ally of President Ruto, has faced mounting pressure over his leadership style and allegations of misconduct, with opposition leaders pushing for his removal.

However, the impeachment process is expected to be a contentious political battle, with both sides seeking to sway public opinion and parliamentary support.