Kenya’s Ruto nominates interior minister as new deputy president

Kenya’s president has nominated Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki as his new deputy, a day after the Senate voted to impeach Rigathi Gachagua.

President William Ruto nominated Kindiki on Friday, and parliament unanimously approved him. However, the High Court then issued an order stopping Gachagua’s replacement until Thursday when cases filed against the impeachment will be heard.

Gachagua was impeached while he was in hospital late on Thursday.

The former deputy president’s supporters have criticised the impeachment process as rushed after senators voted against allowing additional days to give Gachagua time to recover and appear before the Senate.

His impeachment highlighted divisions within the ruling party and friction between Ruto and Gachagua over government policy.

Kindiki, 52, had been a frontrunner for deputy president during the 2022 elections. Like Gachagua, he hails from the vote-rich Mount Kenya region.

Kindiki is a close ally of the president and has held the interior ministry post through Ruto’s two years as leader. He previously served as senator for Tharaka-Nithi County.

Gachagua filed a court application on Friday seeking to stop his replacement, the Reuters news agency reported, citing court documents.

Judge Enock Chacha Mwita then issued an injunction, suspending the process until Thursday.

Historic move

In an unprecedented move, a majority of lawmakers in the National Assembly last week voted to impeach Gachagua on 11 charges, which included corruption, undermining the government and stirring ethnic hatred.

As a result, he lost retirement benefits and cannot hold public office again.

The Senate voted to remove him on Thursday despite Gachagua’s absence from the proceedings as a result of illness.

His lawyer Paul Muite said Gachagua had been hospitalised with “intense chest pains” and had urged the Senate to pause proceedings for a few days.

Gachagua, who has maintained he is not guilty, had launched a legal challenge against the impeachment proceedings in the High Court, but Judge Eric Ogola said the process could go ahead.

He had backed Ruto in his 2022 election win and helped secure a large block of votes from populous central Kenya. He has spoken of being sidelined amid widespread reports in local media that he has fallen out with Ruto as political alliances have shifted.

In an unprecedented move, a majority of lawmakers in the National Assembly last week voted to impeach Gachagua on 11 charges, which included corruption, undermining the government and stirring ethnic hatred.

Ruto sacked most of his cabinet in July and appointed members of the opposition to what he called a unity government after nationwide protests against tax increases in which more than 50 people were killed.