President William Ruto has nominated Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki to replace impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. The nomination was unanimously approved by parliament, but the High Court issued an order staying Kindiki’s appointment until next week. The court will hear the case on October 24, suspending Kindiki’s assumption of office until then. Gachagua was impeached while in hospital, and his supporters criticized the rushed impeachment process.
Kindiki, a close ally of the president, hails from the Mount Kenya region and had been a frontrunner for deputy president in the 2022 elections. He has held the interior ministry post during Ruto’s leadership and previously served as senator for Tharaka-Nithi County. Gachagua had filed a court application to stop his replacement, but the Senate voted to impeach him on 11 charges, leading to his loss of retirement benefits and the inability to hold public office again.
Gachagua’s absence from the Senate proceedings due to illness led to his impeachment despite his lawyer’s request to postpone the hearings. Gachagua had launched a legal challenge against the impeachment in the High Court, but the process went ahead. He had supported Ruto in the 2022 elections and helped secure votes from central Kenya but has reportedly fallen out with Ruto as political alliances shifted. Ruto formed a unity government after nationwide protests against tax increases, leading to the sacking of most of his cabinet.
The impeachment of Gachagua highlighted divisions within the ruling party and friction between Ruto and Gachagua over government policy. The rushed impeachment process faced criticism for not allowing Gachagua time to recover and present his case before the Senate. The High Court’s decision to stay Kindiki’s appointment until the case is heard reflects the legal challenges surrounding the deputy president position. Gachagua’s legal battle against the impeachment proceedings adds complexity to the situation and further underscores the political tensions within the ruling party.
