From remote village in Tharaka to Deputy President: The story of Kithure Kindiki

By Peter Ochieng

Professor Abraham Kithure Kindiki on Friday assumed office as Kenya’s third Deputy President, after being sworn in, in a ceremony held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi.

He succeeded the impeached Rigathi Gachagua. The pre-2010 constitution had the position of Vice President.

Ahead of the 2022 polls, several politicians from the Mt. Kenya region backed Kindiki to be nominated as Wiliam Ruto’s presidential running mate.

However, Ruto, then Deputy President, settled on Gachagua, and being a staunch Christian; Kindiki can now confidently relate to Isaiah 60:22 in the Bible, which reads, “I am the Lord, and when it is time, I will make these things happen quickly.”

Kindiki was born in the remote village of Irunduni, in Tharaka Nithi County 52 years ago.

Among the Schools he attended are Lenana and Tharaka Boys.

An advocate of the High Court and the International Criminal Court (ICC), Prof. Kindiki obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) from Moi University and a Diploma in Legal Studies from the Kenya School of Law.

In addition, he holds a Master’s degree in International Human Rights Law and Democracy, and a PhD in International Law, both from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Earlier in his career, Prof. Kindiki was a lecturer at the Moi University. He also served as a Senior Lecturer and the Head of the Department of Public Law at the University of Nairobi. He rose to be an Associate Dean at the School of Law in the same institution.

He also served as the Secretary of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) under Kenya’s third President, the late Mwai Kibaki.

After a decade in the world of academia, Kindiki joined politics in 2013 landing the Tharaka Nithi Senatorial seat.

He was among Ruto’s lead lawyers at the ICC, when Ruto as deputy President was charged for murder, deportation and persecution during the 2007 post-election violence, in which about 1,200 people were killed and thousands rendered homeless.

The charges were thrown out in April 2016, for lack of sufficient evidence. Professor Kindiki was reelected Tharaka Nithi Senator in 2017.

He served as the Senate Majority Leader during the 2013–2017 term, and the Deputy Speaker of the Senate from August 2017 to 2020. He did not vie for any elective seat in 2022, after it became apparent that he was among the frontrunners to be nominated Ruto’s presidential running mate.

As indicated earlier, Ruto settled on Gachagua and after they won the hotly contested presidential race against Azimio’s Raila Odinga and Martha Karua, Ruto appointed Kindiki the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Interior and National Administration, a position he held until his nomination, appointment and swearing in as Kenya’s third President.

A distinguished scholar in International human rights law, Prof. Kindiki has consulted for local and international organisations including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) among others.

Kindiki’s four other siblings are also professors. Jonah Nyaga Kindiki is a full professor of International Education and Policy at the School of Education, Moi University.

Stephen Kithinji Kindiki is a professor at Daystar University’s Department of Languages and Performing Arts.

Professor Isaiah Iguna Kindiki is the Vice Chancellor of KCA University, while Prof. Moses Mpuria Kindiki holds a PhD in Political Economy and Development from University College London.

Kithure Kindiki married Joyce Gatiiria Njagi in 2001, and they have three children: Imani, Neema and Mwende.