By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Following the removal of Rigathi Gachagua as the Deputy President of Kenya, a former law professor, Kithure Kindiki was on Friday sworn to replace him.
Kindiki, 52 before his elevation as the number 2 citizen of the East African nation has been serving as President William Ruto’s interior minister since 2022.
A judge had on Thursday vacated orders barring the swearing-in of Kindiki as Deputy President.
In his speech at the ceremony in the capital, Nairobi, the new Deputy President called his predecessor’s impeachment a “testament to the maturity of our democracy and a testament that our institutions work”.
“I will be loyal and faithful to you,” Kindiki pledged to Ruto.
Ruto said he had almost became a “lonely voice” in the presidency in laying out his government’s development agenda.
“I am confident you will do that what I have missed in the last two years,” Ruto told his new deputy.
He praised Kindiki as a “patriot whose dedication to cohesion, national unity and inclusivity is beyond reproach”.
Ruto had also appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi as the acting interior minister following Kindiki’s new office.
Kindiki’s predecessor, Gachagua had been impeached by the National Assembly over alleged gross misconduct.
Earlier this month the Senate voted to uphold five out of 11 charges against Gachagua.
Among other things, allegations against him include, gross violation of the constitution and stirring ethnic hatred, accusations that he has denied, saying they are politically motivated.
After Gachagua’s impeachment, President William Ruto immediately picked Kindiki as the new Deputy President.
Gachagua had fell out with President Ruto with whom he ran and won the presidency in 2022.
Ruto had accused him of backing the June/July anti-government protest sparked by an attempt to increase tax amidst high cost of living.
With a master’s degree and a PhD from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, the new Deputy President has authored more than 30 publications – including books and articles in academic peer-reviewed journals, both locally and internationally.
He has vast experience in public policy, governance, public administration, law-making, constitutional affairs and giving legal advice at various levels.
He began his political career in March 2013 when he was elected senator for Tharaka-Nithi county and served as the Senate majority leader for five years.
Re-elected in 2017, he went on to serve as the chamber’s deputy speaker until 2020 when he was sacked in a purge of Ruto’s allies.
When Ruto won the 2022 presidential election, he appointed Kindiki to his first cabinet.
