Kindiki, 52, was sworn in during a brief ceremony held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, a day after the High Court lifted conservatory orders that had blocked his swearing-in for about two weeks following a litany of cases filed challenging Gachagua's ouster.
In his inaugural speech as Kenya's Second-in-Command, Kindiki pledged unwavering loyalty and faithfulness to President William Rutoâ€"a quality believed to have been lacking in Gachagua, contributing to the fallout between them and ultimately resulting in his hasty removal from office.
'I commit to being loyal and faithful. I will do my best to work hard alongside my colleagues to lighten the burden you have on your shoulders,' Kindiki stated.
Kindiki is among the top candidates considered as President Ruto's running mate for his presidential campaign in 2022. He is a seasoned lawyer and former senator who represented Tharaka Nithi County between 2013 and 2022.
He was also part of a team of lawyers who represented Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, in the crimes against humanity case related to the 2007-2008 post-election violence. The charges against Ruto were later vacated due to insufficient evidence.
President Ruto, in his remarks during the swearing-in ceremony on Friday, lauded the former Minister of Interior as a dedicated professional whose commitment to excellence has helped the country overcome daunting challenges, describing him as a tireless public servant in national leadership.
He praised Kindiki as a patriot whose dedication to cohesion, national unity, and inclusivity is beyond reproach and a loyal steward of the government's economic transformation agenda.
As Minister of Interior, President Ruto noted, Kindiki had consistently delivered results beyond expectations.
The Kenyan Head of State urged his new deputy to serve selflessly and with dedication, loyalty, and integrity to the people of Kenya.
'My brother, serve the nation without bias or favouritism, so the people of Kenya see that we are united as one country, one people, bound by our constitutional duty,' President Ruto said.
'The people of Kenya require a patriotic public servant and consummate champion of our constitutional dispensation, our broad-based national governance framework, and the bottom-up economic transformation agenda to support the cabinet and the President in delivering in full and on time,' he added.
In his speech, the President appeared to take a dig at Gachagua, who had been accused of undermining the President and Cabinet resolutions.
President Ruto expressed frustration over feeling like a 'lonely voice' within the Executive, lacking support to effectively communicate his administration's programs.
'I need your voice. I need your intellect to help me and members of our cabinet to profile and articulate the things we are doing," President Ruto told Kindiki while commenting on what his administration has been missing over the past two years.
During his impeach in parliament, the former Deputy President faced 11 grounds for removal from office. A majority of the Senators upheld his impeachment on five grounds, including inciting ethnic divisions by likening the government to a sharing holding company and violating his oath of office. He was cleared of six charges, including corruption and money laundering.
Recently, Gachagua went berserk on his boss, accusing him of sponsoring his impeachment after disagreements over government policies, including additional taxes.
The former Deputy President claimed that his impeachment followed two failed assassination attempts, involving poisoning of his food, by state operatives.
He made the claims after being discharged from Karen Hospital in Nairobi, where he had been hospitalized with chest pains as the Senate debated his impeachment motion on October 17, 2024.
The 59-year-old is in court to challenge his removal from office, hoping to clear his name, as the impeachment means he cannot hold public office again or enjoy his retirement benefits.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
