NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto has nominated Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki to assume the role of Deputy President, following the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua by Parliament.
The nomination signals a significant reshuffle within Ruto’s administration, culminating in the fallout between the President and his former deputy.
The move brings Kindiki full circle, as he had been a close contender for the deputy president position during the 2022 elections.
Despite being the frontrunner in the drawn-out selection process, Kindiki lost out to Gachagua, leading him to temporarily step away from elective politics.
However, his steady rise through the ranks of government appears to have positioned him for the country’s second-highest office.
Kindiki, now 52, hails from Irunduni village in Tharaka Nithi County.
His academic background is distinguished, with a law degree from the University of Nairobi, followed by a Master’s and PhD from the University of Pretoria.
Before entering the political arena, he had an illustrious academic career, lecturing at Moi University, the University of Nairobi, and internationally as a visiting professor.
His political journey began in earnest in 2008 when he was appointed Secretary for the National Cohesion and Reconciliation Commission by then-President Mwai Kibaki.
Though he resigned after just three months due to frustrations over the resettlement of 2007 post-election violence victims, this brief tenure marked his initial foray into public service.
Prof. Kindiki rose to national prominence as part of President Ruto’s legal defense team during the International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings, where Ruto faced charges of crimes against humanity.
His visibility during the ICC trial propelled him into the political spotlight, leading to his election as Tharaka Nithi Senator in 2013 under the TNA party.
Serving two terms, he reached the rank of Senate Deputy Speaker before facing political challenges tied to his loyalty to then-Deputy President Ruto amid the fallout with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Following his impeachment from the Senate, Kindiki was appointed to the Cabinet by President Ruto, taking up the crucial role of Interior and National Administration Secretary.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetangula, made the formal announcement of Kindiki’s nomination on Friday.
“I wish to report to the House that this morning I received a message from the President regarding the nomination of Kithure Kindiki to fill the vacancy in the Office of the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya following the impeachment of the previous office holder,” Wetangula told legislators.
The nomination now moves to the National Assembly, which must vote on it within 60 days. If approved, Kindiki will officially be appointed as Deputy President by Ruto, with expectations for swift formalization of the process following Parliament’s decision.
The nomination signals a significant reshuffle within Ruto’s administration, culminating in the fallout between the President and his former deputy.
The move brings Kindiki full circle, as he had been a close contender for the deputy president position during the 2022 elections.
Despite being the frontrunner in the drawn-out selection process, Kindiki lost out to Gachagua, leading him to temporarily step away from elective politics.
However, his steady rise through the ranks of government appears to have positioned him for the country’s second-highest office.
Kindiki, now 52, hails from Irunduni village in Tharaka Nithi County.
His academic background is distinguished, with a law degree from the University of Nairobi, followed by a Master’s and PhD from the University of Pretoria.
Before entering the political arena, he had an illustrious academic career, lecturing at Moi University, the University of Nairobi, and internationally as a visiting professor.
His political journey began in earnest in 2008 when he was appointed Secretary for the National Cohesion and Reconciliation Commission by then-President Mwai Kibaki.
Though he resigned after just three months due to frustrations over the resettlement of 2007 post-election violence victims, this brief tenure marked his initial foray into public service.
Prof. Kindiki rose to national prominence as part of President Ruto’s legal defense team during the International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings, where Ruto faced charges of crimes against humanity.
His visibility during the ICC trial propelled him into the political spotlight, leading to his election as Tharaka Nithi Senator in 2013 under the TNA party.
Serving two terms, he reached the rank of Senate Deputy Speaker before facing political challenges tied to his loyalty to then-Deputy President Ruto amid the fallout with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Following his impeachment from the Senate, Kindiki was appointed to the Cabinet by President Ruto, taking up the crucial role of Interior and National Administration Secretary.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetangula, made the formal announcement of Kindiki’s nomination on Friday.
“I wish to report to the House that this morning I received a message from the President regarding the nomination of Kithure Kindiki to fill the vacancy in the Office of the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya following the impeachment of the previous office holder,” Wetangula told legislators.
The nomination now moves to the National Assembly, which must vote on it within 60 days. If approved, Kindiki will officially be appointed as Deputy President by Ruto, with expectations for swift formalization of the process following Parliament’s decision.
