President Ruto nominates Kithure Kindiki as deputy

President William Ruto has nominated Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki as his deputy.

The announcement came early Friday morning, ending weeks of speculation following an impeachment motion against former DP Rigathi Gachagua.

The nomination aligns with Article 149 of the Constitution, which requires the President to nominate a candidate to fill a vacant deputy president position within 14 days. 

Kindiki's nomination follows a ruling by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, declaring the position vacant after  Gachagua's impeachment yesterday. 

The National Assembly is currently in a special sitting, where Kindiki's nomination has been tabled for approval.  

According to the Constitution, the nominee must be approved by the National Assembly and then sworn in before the Chief Justice or another judge, if the Chief Justice is unavailable.

Last month, Members of Parliament from the Mt. Kenya West region endorsed Kithure Kindiki as their preferred liaison to Ruto, citing his ability to advocate for the region’s interests within the national government. 

Ahead of the 2022 General Election, MPs had recommended Kindiki as Ruto’s running mate. The selection committee favored the former Tharaka Nithi Senator for his loyalty, experience, and strong public record.

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru was among the first leaders to congratulate Kindiki upon his nomination.

"My brother Professor Kithure Kindiki, my sincere congratulations. To you, history has placed an honor and responsibility accorded to only a few. May God guide you and President William Samoei Ruto as you lead this great country to achieve its tremendous potential," she wrote on her social media accounts.

Waiguru who was also poised to take the position of deputy president, also took the platform to thank those who had supported her bid.

"To those who supported me for this position, I thank you," Waiguru stated. 

Kindiki's Profile
Until his recent appointment, Professor Kithure Kindiki was the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration.

Kindiki headed the docket since October 2022, with a brief hiatus between July 11 this year and August 8, when Ruto sent his entire Cabinet packing.

During his second vetting for the same Cabinet position, Kindiki listed various achievements at the helm of the security docket including implementation of various police reforms as recommended by retired Chief Justice David Maraga.

He also oversaw the enrolment of more than 13,000 inmates into formal education programs and the abolishment of the previous vetting processes for issuance of National Identity cards, among others.

Prior to his appointment as CS, Kindiki served as the Senator for Tharaka Nithi County, from 2013.