The National Assembly has approved President William Ruto's nominee, Kithure Kindiki, as deputy president-elect after Rigathi Gachagua was impeached Thursday night.
Kindiki’s nomination was overwhelmingly supported by a majority of 236 MPs, with no legislator opposing or abstaining.
“The nomination is passed by the house and the Speaker will transmit the same to the appointing authority who is the President,” House Speaker Moses Wetangula declared.
“The Speaker will also sign a gazette notice to this effect that the nominee,the Deputy President has been duly voted by the house.”
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Kindiki attended Irunduni Primary School, then Lenana School, before earning a law degree from the University of Nairobi. He later obtained a Master's and PhD from the University of Pretoria.
Returning to academia, he taught law at Moi and Nairobi universities and occasionally was a visiting lecturer abroad.
Kindiki entered public service in 2008 when he was appointed Secretary for the National Cohesion and Reconciliation outfit by the late President Mwai Kibaki.
He gained national prominence when Ruto appointed him to his legal team during the International Criminal Court (ICC) trial for crimes against humanity. Leveraging this visibility, Kindiki transitioned to politics, successfully contesting the Senate seat for Tharaka Nithi in 2013 under the TNA party.
He was elected on his first attempt and served two terms, rising to the position of Deputy Speaker during his second term.
However, as tensions grew between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto, Kindiki faced challenges in the Senate and was eventually impeached.
He has since served as Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration in President Ruto’s first and reconstructed Cabinet.
His appointment comes after the Senate Speaker Amason Kingi gazetted the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua, consequently formalizing the removal of the country's second in command from office.
