Kindiki responds to question on succeeding Ruto in 2027

Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki has remained coy on whether he would pursue Kenya's presidency in 2027, should President William Ruto abandon his ambitions to retain the seat in the upcoming polls.

Speaking at his Karen office on Thursday, during a joint interview session with members of the media, Kindiki labelled the question, posed by NTV's Michelle Ngele, as unfair, emphasizing that his sole ambition as DP is to ensure that the ruling Kenya Kwanza government delivers on its promises to Kenyans.

"That question is a very unfair question... am I allowed to complain? It is an unfair question because I have just been entrusted with a very serious and grave national responsibility. What is weighing in my mind now is the desire to take charge of those obligations," he said.

According to Kindiki, should he openly announce his ambitions to succeed President Ruto, despite his current capacity, it would almost certainly suggest that he is unfit to hold the second-in-command title.

"The desire of the people of Kenya and the President are so high. If I started occupying myself with ideas of what would happen then I would be the most unsuitable person to be seated before you here today," he said.

Unsatisfied by Kindiki's answer, KBC's John Jacob Kioria, rephrased Ngele's question, asking Kindiki to explain what lessons he might have learned from observing former DP Rigathi Gachagua's fall from Ruto's good books. Gachagua is the only Deputy President in Kenya's history to have been impeached from office.

"Clearly there are lessons you must have learnt from Gachagua's tenure in office....what lessons are those?" Kioria posed.

Once again, Kindiki dodged the question, stating that he would rather not badmouth his 'brother and friend' Gachagua.

"Leadership is defined by certain ethos and parameters and I want to persuade you to allow me not to discuss my brother Rigathi Gachagua because he is my friend and you have not heard me badmouth him anywhere before when he was in this office or even when he left office...so please spare me," he said.

"It is not right. It is wrong to start comparing myself with a  predecessor or a person who would occupy the position in future."

When asked whether he was being cautious not to antagonise former DP Gachagua given Mt. Kenya's feelings on Gachagua's impeachment, Kindiki highlighted that he does not have to sour the former DP's time in office to carry out his mandate.

"I don't have to antagonize anybody...for what?" he posed.

Kindiki similarly shot down suggestions that the DP's seat is cursed given that many past serving DPs and Vice President's have either fallen out of favour with their presidents or failed in their subsequent bids to succeed them as heads of state.

"I do not believe any seat is cursed; I don't think it is a priority to start thinking whether I will survive in this seat or not. As I have said, what is weighing in my mind is to ensure that the challenges I have been tasked with addressing are under control," he said.