Prof. Abraham Kithure Kindiki has been nominated by President Ruto as the next Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, hours after the Senate upheld the impeachment of the former deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua.
The Peaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Moses Wetangula, notified the President’s nominee to the National Assembly member, who had today gathered for a special. The House Business is currently meeting alongside the ongoing ordinary sitting to deliberate on the next move.
Prof. Kindiki had been in active politics since 2013 until when he was appointed as the Cabinet Minister for Interior and National Administration under William Ruto’s administration following the August 2022 General Elections.
Prior to being the CS, Prof Kithure Kindiki made his political seat debut in 2013 when he was elected as the Senator Tharaka Nithi. He seamlessly served until the second term, when he was appointed to be the deputy speaker at the senator alongside his senatorial position.
But in the middle of the political journey that was triggered by the highly anticipated 2017 general elections—leading to the severed relationship between the then President Uhuru Kenyataa and his deputy, current president, Kithure was ousted as the deputy speaker and joined Ruto’s bandwagon, which was opposed to the Raila-Uhuru handshake.
The long-political rift in the then Jublee administration held the duo (RRuto and Kindki) intact to the tunnel leading to the August 2022 General Elections following the splinter of the Jubilee Partly— leading to the formation of the United Democratic Alliance led by Ruto as the flagbearer.
Then, now the former DP, who served as the Mathira member of parliament, developed a severe relationship of Uhuru’s government, who they accused of persuasion following his conviction on corrupt allegations.
Rigathi Gachagua will be remembered as an outstanding, abrasive, and aggressive leader—winning him the title truthful man’ from those he inspired by his burgeoning public statements and criticism of the government’s aggression on citizens.
His standoff with the former President simmered—leading to the formation of an inseparable trio who relied on the hustler narrative and the bottom-up model to sway the emotions of millions of Kenyans, especially from Mt. Kenya and Rift Valley regions, who felt they were being persecuted for voicing their economic plights.
At some point after the rise to practice, Ruto said that advisors and close associates recommended the nomination of Prof. Kithure Kindiki to be the running mate, but he said Rigathi Gachagua remained his favorite.
The nomination of Rigathi Gachagua almost severed Ruto-Kindiki ties in the lead-up to the August 2022 general elections. Kindiki felt betrayed and vowed not to engage in any sort of politics until the near future, when Kenyans shall decide.
However, Kindiki was later nominated by President Ruto to serve as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, one of the most critical departments in government, in October 2022.
Kindiki served as the CS for Interior until July 11th, 2024, 18 months later following the nation-wide demonstrations, which shook the foundations of Ruto’s administration and changed the nature of politics in the country divided on tribal ideologies.
The June 25th, 2024, will be remembered as a landmark event, when the youthful protests dubbed GneZs stormed the parliament, torched the surroundings, and stole properties of unknown value following the passage of the controversial Finance Bill 2024.
This even led to the dissolution of the cabinet on July 11th, 2024, following an additional call by the discontented Kenyans to have the cabinet dismissed and parliament dissolved for failing to raise the expectation bar.
Fortunately, Kithure Kindiki was among the reappointed former CSs—taking him back to the initial docket. Since then, Kindiki has been serving as the CS for Interior until he was nominated as the deputy president following the parliamentary ouster of the then deputy president of the Republic of Kenya, Rigathi Gachagua, as enshrined in Article 149(1) of the Constitution.
Kindiki’s nomination lies with the constitutional mandate anchored on MPs to debate as to whether to approve or reject his appointment. The President is required to nominate the DP within 14 days after the vacancy declaration of the office of the deputy president.
Consequentially, the National Assembly has 60 days to determine the nomination of the DP appointed. As to whether the public participation will be executed or not, which is not a must, that lies on the agreement by the house members.
