Lawmakers in Kenya have voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for abuse of office. The impeachment motion on Tuesday accused the 59-year-old deputy to President William Ruto of corruption,

Kenya's Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua was a scandal-tainted political novice when he rode an anti-establishment wave to become deputy president -- only to be impeached by the lower house of parliament just two years after taking office.

Kenya VP Gachagua is accused of corruption, insubordination, divisive ethnic politics and other serious allegations.

Kenyan lawmakers on Tuesday voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for abuse of office in an unprecedented political drama that has transfixed the nation.

Kenya’s embattled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has warned President William Ruto of dire consequences should he sanction an impeachment motion against him.

Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua vowed to fight impeachment proceedings to the end, ahead of a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday where he stands accused of enriching himself, stirring ethnic hatred and undermining the government.

He said the move to impeach him was linked to tensions with President William Ruto. The unprecedented impeachment motion passed in the National Assembly, with 281 out of 349 members voting in favor, exceeding the required two-thirds majority.

Kenya's parliament was set to vote on Tuesday on impeaching Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in a political drama that has exposed a rift in the governing party. If impeached, Gachagua would become the first deputy president to be removed in this way since the possibility was introduced in Kenya's revised 2010 constitution.