Kithure Kindiki has opened up about his relationship with Rigathi Gachagua following the latter’s impeachment as Deputy President.
Speaking during an interview on Thursday, December 19, Kindiki affirmed that his friendship with Gachagua remains intact despite the political upheaval.
“My relationship with Gachagua is as it was before. We are good friends, and I have no reason to complain about the past, present, or even the future,” Kindiki stated.
He also addressed the lack of an official handover, citing Gachagua’s legal battles as the primary reason. “There wasn’t an official handover because the former Deputy President is in court. You wouldn’t expect him to hand over while pursuing his case,” he explained.
Gachagua was impeached on October 17, 2024, after the Senate upheld five out of eleven charges against him in a decisive vote.
The impeachment process began on October 1, 2024, when a motion was introduced in Parliament, garnering overwhelming support from 291 MPs. Despite Gachagua’s hospitalization during the proceedings, the Senate moved forward with the trial, ultimately removing him from office.
Following Gachagua’s ouster, President William Ruto nominated Kithure Kindiki as the new Deputy President. However, the appointment faced immediate legal challenges, with the High Court issuing an order to temporarily halt Kindiki’s swearing-in pending a hearing scheduled for October 24, 2024.
On October 31, 2024, the High Court lifted the order, emphasizing the constitutional necessity of promptly filling the Deputy President position.
“We find that the current constitutional framework does not envision a scenario in which the office of the Deputy President remains vacant except during the brief period required to fill the position,” Justice Anthony Mrima stated in the ruling.
Kindiki was officially sworn in as the Deputy President on November 1, 2024.
