NAIROBI, Kenya- Just when it seemed like everything was set for Kithure Kindiki’s swearing-in as Kenya’s Deputy President, a court decision has thrown the plans into chaos.
Initially, Kindiki’s swearing-in was scheduled for Saturday morning at either Kasarani Stadium or KICC.
The plan was to have the Interior Cabinet Secretary officially take on the role of Deputy President before attending the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kwale County as the country’s new second-in-command.
However, that timeline is now in jeopardy due to Justice Chacha Mwita’s Friday afternoon order halting Gachagua’s impeachment.
With the state facing a choice between halting the swearing-in plans or seeking court orders to overturn the injunction, the legal showdown is just beginning.
The case filed by Gachagua’s legal team, led by Senior Counsel Paul Muite, has been fast-tracked for hearing.
Chief Justice Martha Koome is expected to appoint a bench to address the constitutional questions surrounding the impeachment and its aftermath.
The court’s intervention comes at a critical time, as the law mandates that the swearing-in of a Deputy President must be overseen by the Chief Justice—or, in her absence, the Deputy Chief Justice.
With Koome now involved in forming a bench to hear Gachagua’s case, it’s highly unlikely that the Saturday ceremony will go forward as planned. The next hearing in Gachagua’s case is set for October 24.
