Prof. Kithure Kindiki: How the son of Irunduni village rose to Kenya’s second highest office

Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki has occupied the office he sought two years ago during the Kenya Kwanza presidential elections campaign.

The crowning of Prof. Kindiki is the culmination of a long journey that has seen him transition from academia, to a short stint in the public service and eventually to politics.

The fall out in the presidency accorded Prof. Kindiki a chance at the seat that he came tantalisingly close to in 2022.

The race to become then presidential candidate William Ruto’s running mate had narrowed down to Prof. Kindiki and Rigathi Gachagua. And although the 17-hour long exercise and numerous votes had Kindiki as the favourite, it was Gachagua who eventually ended up on the ballot alongside Ruto.

This prompted Kindiki then to, in his words, take a break from elective politics, as he told Ruto: “God willing, I will have an opportunity to make it up to you, and the day won’t be too far away.”

And that day is now here for the man who started out in academia before transitioning to the public service and eventually landing in the murky waters of elective politics.

Born 52 years ago at Irunduni village, Tharaka Nithi County, Kindiki attended the local Irunduni Primary School, before joining the Lenana School and graduating with a law degree from the University of Nairobi.

A Masters degree and a Phd from Pretoria later, he came back to the classroom teaching law at the Moi and Nairobi universities, occasionally teaching outside Kenya as a visiting lecturer.

The published don crossed over to serve the nation in 2008 when he was appointed by the late former President Mwai Kibaki as the Secretary for the National Cohesion and Reconciliation outfit.

He resigned after three months, citing lack of political will to resettle victims of post poll chaos of 2007.

But he gained national prominence when William Ruto appointed him as part of his legal team as he battled crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Riding on his visibility from the ICC trial, the man who’d thrived in academia made the switch to politics, taking a stab at the Senate seat for Tharaka Nithi in 2013 under the TNA party.

He won at the first time of asking and went on to serve for two terms, rising to the position of Deputy Speaker in his second term.

But, as relations soured between then president Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy Ruto then, Kindiki found himself besieged in the Senate and was impeached.

He has served as Interior Cabinet Secretary through President Ruto’s first and reconstructed Cabinet, and has now ascended to his highest political position yet.

His journey to the near apex was backed by those from his backyard, with the Njuri Ncheke elders recently stating; “We endorse Cs for Prof. Kindiki to be the link between our region, the President and the government.”

And nearly weeks after he was cleared by the National Assembly to the position of Deputy President, the courts allowed the son of Irunduni village in Tharaka Nithi to fly the flag of that office, earning him a place in the annals of history as the country’s third Deputy President under the 2010 Constitution.