THARAKA NITHI, Kenya – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has vowed to defend his position and remain in office, while taking another swipe at his predecessor Rigathi Gachagua over his removal from the Deputy President’s post.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has declared that he will not allow anyone to remove him from office, drawing parallels between his political position and President William Ruto’s experience during his time as Deputy President.
Speaking on Friday, August 21, Kindiki recalled political attempts to remove Ruto from office before he eventually rose to the presidency, saying the current Head of State retained his position because his supporters remained steadfast.
“You know, towards the end, our President fell out with his boss, but they tried to remove William Ruto and failed. We stood firm until the very end,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President said political leaders who had previously been removed from office lacked sufficient political influence to withstand such attempts.
“Those who were removed were not influential. Do you think anyone can remove me from my seat? I cannot leave; I will defend myself,” he added.
Kindiki takes aim at Gachagua
Kindiki’s remarks come amid an increasingly bitter political exchange with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has emerged as a prominent opposition figure ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua, who now leads the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), has repeatedly criticised Kindiki during political rallies and has mocked the Deputy President over his high-pitched voice.
In response, Kindiki accused his predecessor of squandering the opportunity to serve as Deputy President by engaging in political confrontations with President Ruto and other leaders.
He argued that Gachagua’s removal from office demonstrated the consequences of failing to protect a powerful political position.
“Gachagua took some shortcuts and managed to get a big job but lost it because he did not know how to safeguard it. You are given a big job only to be sent away like a stupid person,” Kindiki said.
He also criticised Gachagua for repeatedly referring to him as “Soprano”, describing the nickname as childish political behaviour.
“I hear someone calling me ‘Soprano’. He is useless and has no idea how to better our country. His only work is to give nicknames, which is the behaviour of pupils in Grade 3 and Grade 5,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President said he would not engage in similar personal attacks, instead portraying himself as focused on defending the government and its agenda.
UDA officials mobilised ahead of 2027
Kindiki was speaking while addressing approximately 15,000 elected UDA grassroots officials from Tharaka Nithi County.
He commissioned the officials to defend the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and explain the government’s record as Kenya approaches the 2027 General Election.
The officials are expected to play a frontline role in communicating the administration’s achievements and defending its manifesto implementation at the grassroots.
Kindiki’s comments come as political mobilisation intensifies ahead of the 2027 polls, with Gachagua seeking to consolidate support in the Mt Kenya region and the wider opposition space.
The former Deputy President has maintained that his DCP party will serve as a political vehicle for the region, while government-aligned leaders have stepped up efforts to retain support in the area.
Gachagua’s removal remains political fault line
Gachagua was removed from the Deputy President’s office following an impeachment process that deepened political divisions within the Kenya Kwanza administration.
His departure subsequently transformed him from a government insider into one of the administration’s most vocal political opponents.
The former Deputy President has since intensified criticism of the Ruto administration, while Kindiki has increasingly emerged as one of the government’s leading defenders.
