A father and his two children who suffered severe burns in a Springfield, Ont. house fire have undergone surgery.
Kenya's Parliament removes deputy president from office in impeachment trial
Kenya鈥檚 Senate voted Thursday to remove Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office in an impeachment trial on corruption and other allegations, hours after the deputy president was taken to the hospital with chest pains.
Senators approved five of 11 grounds for impeachment against Gachagua, making him the first sitting deputy president to be removed from office in impeachment proceedings.
The vote on the first of the five counts was 54-13, well above the two-thirds majority required to convict and remove him from office. The lower house of Parliament, the National Assembly, voted 282-44 last week to impeach the deputy president.
Gachagua had pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the 11 charges and had been expected to be cross-examined by lawyers from the Assembly in the afternoon. But the hearing was briefly adjourned after Gachagua was hospitalized and his lawyers asked for a pause to give him until Tuesday to appear before the chamber.
However, Assembly lawyers said Gachagua's defense already had been presented and that the Senate was bound by the constitution to continue the proceedings.
Gachagua faced allegations that included corruption, inciting ethnic divisions and support for anti-government protests that saw demonstrators storm the Parliament
The case has highlights divisions within the ruling party of President William Ruto, and friction between Ruto and Gachagua over government policy. The deputy president had been accused of insubordination when he opposed the government's policy of forced evictions during heavy rains that caused flooding and deaths.
During his defense before the Assembly last week, Gachagua said he believed the impeachment motion had the president鈥檚 nod, and he has asked legislators to make their decision 鈥渨ithout intimidation and coercion.鈥 Ruto has not commented publicly on the impeachment.
Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua gestures to the crowd at the swearing-in ceremony for Kenya's new president William Ruto, at Kasarani stadium in Nairobi, Kenya, Sept. 13, 2022. AP Photo/Brian Inganga
Gachagua's lawyer Paul Muite said Thursday that doctors told him the deputy president was suffering from 鈥渋ntense chest pains鈥 and needed 鈥渃omplete rest.鈥
Dan Gikonyo, a doctor at Karen Hospital, told journalists outside the facility that the deputy president would be observed for up to three days. 鈥淪tress can cause heart problems and the DP is definitely in a lot of stress,鈥 Dr. Gikonyo said.
Earlier Thursday, lawyers had cross-examined witnesses presented by the Assembly the previous day, including the legislator who moved the impeachment motion and the anticorruption agency鈥檚 boss. At one point Gachagua鈥檚 legal team asked to expunge the affidavit of a key witness, the elected governor for the capital Nairobi, after the governor failed to turn up.
The tensions over Gachagua's impeachment risk introducing more uncertainty for investors and others in East Africa鈥檚 commercial hub.
Ruto, who came to office claiming to represent Kenya鈥檚 poorest citizens, has faced widespread criticism for his efforts to raise taxes in an effort to find ways to pay off foreign creditors. But the public opposition led him to shake up his cabinet and back off certain proposals.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.
'We all got through it': Canadian family stuck in Cuba recalls ordeal amid massive blackout
Ellen Francis says she and her family were having a great time at one of Cuba's famously stunning beaches and exploring the popular tourist town of Varadero when the situation turned into something like a scary movie.
Cooldown expected across Canada before above-seasonal temperatures return
Canada is getting served a smorgasbord of weather this week. The West saw its first sign of winter, while the eastern half of Canada experienced summer-like temperatures on Tuesday.
Man charged after attempting to force his way into the House of Commons: police
On the tenth anniversary of the shooting on Parliament Hill, a man was arrested and charged with trespassing as he attempted to push past security guards into the House of Commons.
One dead in multistate E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounders, CDC says
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a food safety alert Tuesday regarding an E. coli outbreak that it says is linked with McDonald鈥檚 Quarter Pounders.
Former Conservative leader says Trudeau 'should move on' amid efforts to oust him
Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'should move on,' as he faces growing inner-caucus turmoil.
Kevin Vickers says 'not a day that goes by' he doesn't think about Parliament Hill shooting
On the 10-year anniversary of the deadly Parliament Hill shooting, former sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers says there's 'not a day that goes by' where he doesn't think about it.
With the B.C. election too close to call, Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked Tuesday how she feels about the possibility of a party that has repeatedly called for her firing forming government.
Local Spotlight
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.
A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.
A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the 鈥楩ellow in Yellow.鈥