Donald Trump is hanging onto the Senate as the last straw to save his US presidency after the House of Representatives voted to impeach the controversial Republican.
Trump’s impeachment was arrived at on the grounds of obstruction of Congress and abuse of office, with a section of Kenyans advising Parliament to borrow a leaf from the adamant US House.
While Trump has never been shy of expressing his dislike for “shithole” African countries and their leaders, his looming ouster might be a win for Africa, but some negative effects might also come with a new regime.
The nonchalant politician’s administration has over the years built a significant level of trade and political relations with the continent, and especially Kenya.
In 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta held talks with Trump at White House, where both leaders agreed on establishing Kenya as the anchor of the US’s investments into the region.
This means that Kenya has been the focal point of all the US’s efforts towards enhancing peace, stability, and good governance in Africa.
If Trump is kicked out of power, therefore, Kenya’s position in matters US investments might be compromised, depending on the incoming leader’s perspective of the country.
On the flip side, Kenyans living in the US might experience a more conducive living environment, if Trump exits the leadership scene.
The most powerful leader in the world has time and again specifically targeted Kenyan immigrants into the US for deportation, with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detainees data indicating that over 100 Kenyans were deported within the first year of Trump’s regime.
One of the most powerful tenets of Trump’s election campaign was the vision to rid the US of immigrants flocking the country and “stealing” jobs and resources from deserving Americans.
Trump’s administration has been heavily vested in fighting the vice of corruption in Kenya and the achievement of this vision could be compromised should a new leader take up the reigns at White House.
The US has embarked on blocking individuals implicated in graft from stepping foot on its soil, with the most recent victim being former Attorney General and current Busia Senator, Amos Wako.
On the same note, the exit of Trump might hold better prospects for Kenya in terms of funding, since his administration has been quite withholding on allocations towards the country.
In March, Trump had proposed radical cuts in budgetary allocation towards aid sent to Kenya from Ksh10 billion to about Ksh4.3 billion.
He becomes the third US president to be impeached, after Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson.
The vote on his final verdict will be taken by at least two-thirds of the Senate, most likely in January 2020.