Raymond Jumah
Proffesor Abraham Kithure Kindiki has been sworn in as Kenya’s third deputy president after a court lifted orders barring his inauguration following legal challenges by his predecessor, who was impeached by parliament.On Friday, Kindiki took his oath before the chief registrar following weeks of legal tussles after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua challenged his appointment in court.
President William Ruto, who nominated Kindiki as his deputy, as well as diplomats and more than 100,000 people attended the event at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in the capital, Nairobi.
The senate removed Gachagua from office in October on charges of gross violation of the constitution and stirring ethnic hatred – accusations that he rejected and described as politically motivated.
Ruto named Kindiki, then the interior minister, as Gachagua’s successor within hours of the impeachment.
The high court had put a hold on his inauguration after Gachagua and his supporters filed more than 30 legal challenges to prevent his firing and replacement.
But the stay order was lifted on Thursday, with judges saying that, according to the constitution, the position of deputy president should not remain vacant.
Kindiki’s nomination was confirmed by parliament on October 18.
Gachagua's legal battles extended months of political turbulence in the country, East Africa's largest economy, that began with nationwide protests against unpopular tax hikes in June.
President William Ruto invited opposition members into his cabinet to create what he called a unity government in July in an attempt to ease tensions after demonstrators stormed parliament.
The political realignment also sidelined Gachagua, who during Ruto's election campaign helped secure a large block of votes from the populous Mount Kenya region. The two men have since fallen out.
Ruto has not commented on the impeachment proceedings but last month called for national cohesion and an end to "tribalism and exclusion".
Gachagua has compared the government to a shareholding company, suggesting that those who had voted for the ruling coalition deserved preferential access to government jobs.
Speaking after Kindiki's swearing-in, Ruto told his new deputy to "serve the people of Kenya equally, those who voted for us and those who did not vote for us. The government of Kenya equally belongs to all the people."
Kindiki was a leading contender to be Ruto's running mate during the 2022 election and was appointed interior minister shortly after the president took office in September that year.
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