Professor Kithure Kindiki was sworn in as the third deputy president of Kenya under the 2010 Constitution on Friday, November 1, 2024.
Kindiki’s assumption of office followed the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, following his fallout with President William Ruto.
In his acceptance speech after being sworn in, Kindiki promised to be a “loyal and faithful deputy president”.
“Words fail me to explain how grateful I am today. I’m grateful to President Ruto for the honour he has given me to serve under him. I have been his political student for 20 years and nothing in the political space has helped me pick up lessons more than the years that I have walked around him,” he said.
Kindiki’s biography
Before his nomination as the deputy president, Kindiki served as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, a role he has held since October 2022, with a brief hiatus between July 11, 2024 and August 8, 2024, when Ruto dissolved his Cabinet.
Prior to his appointment to cabinet, Kindiki served as the senator for Tharaka Nithi County, from 2013, in which time he also served as the Deputy Speaker of the Senate; as well as the Majority Party Leader in the Senate.
Kindiki is also an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, with legal experience spanning over 24 years. As an advocate, he has consulted for international organizations including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations (UN) and UN specialized agencies such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and practised as Defence Counsel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.
Kindiki has also taught law and held various administrative positions at Moi University School of Law and the University of Nairobi School of Law.
He began his career as an Assistant Lecturer in Law at Moi University immediately after graduating with an undergraduate law degree. He then joined the University of Nairobi as a lecturer after graduating with a PhD in International Law before he rose to the Head of the Department of Public Law at the age of 33 and then to the position of Associate Dean at the age of 35.
He was later promoted to Associate Professor of Law at Kenyatta University. He has authored 35 publications including books, book chapters and articles in local and international peer-reviewed journals.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from Moi University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law, a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree, and a Doctorate (PhD) in International Law from the University of Pretoria in South Africa.
He is a member of the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS), the International Association for the Study on Forced Migration (IASFM), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the East African Law Society (EALS), and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).
Kindiki’s wealth
At his appointment as a cabinet secretary in 2022, Kindiki revealed that he was worth Ksh544 million.
In August 2024, Kindiki revealed that his net worth had jumped Ksh150 million to hit a new high of Ksh694 million.
Family
Kindiki married Joyce Gatiiria Njagi in 2001 and they have three children together.
