On November 1, 2024, Professor Abraham Kithure Kindiki was not only sworn in as the third Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, but he also got a new name; Abra-Kay from President William Ruto.
He was a most unlikely candidate, having risen from a small community in Tharaka Nithi county, yet there he was, a man who had a public holiday dubbed Kindiki Day, for the whole country to witness his coronation.
I first met Kindiki as a young lecturer from Moi University way back in 2005, when he was a consultant in a project to advance the rights of persons with disabilities jointly commissioned by the African Union of the Blind (AFUB-UAFA) and York University.
Dr Kindiki was a very young PhD holder in law, having attained it at the age of 30 years.
There he was leading us to navigate the nascent waters of enshrining international customary laws (Juscogens) to apply to our municipal laws, especially the then newly assented Persons with Disabilities Act No 14 of 2003.
At that point, I was an undergraduate student at Kenyatta University and I was serving in the pioneer board of the National Council for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD).
Together with Prof Marcia Rioux from Canada and Dr Elly Macha from Tanzania, they led a team of us young researchers as their assistants.
Dr Macha who later on became my boss at AFUB as CEO, went on to join the Tanzanian Parliament under the Chadema party.
She passed on later on. Fast Forward, Kindiki became a regular political and legal analyst on national television and his legal prowess saw him join the legal team that successfully defended President Ruto at the ICC.
In 2013, Kindiki was elected as the first senator for Tharaka Nithi county and went on to serve as the first Majority leader in the Senate.
I remember at some point him expressing interest in running for president, and there being a contestation between him and then seasoned politicians from Meru region on who was to be the kingpin.
He got sizeable support from the Nchuri Ncheke elders and professionals. In the third Senate of the 12th Parliament, I was privileged to serve with him in the Senate, as our deputy speaker.
He used to preside over the Senate in a very admirable manner, combining his oratory, sharp legal mind as he made several rulings and his pedagogical skills, as if awarding ‘marks’ to the senators, depending on how they had prosecuted their matter on the floor of the House.
He was also very fair in giving chance to the diverse voices and especially senators representing women, youth, persons with disabilities and ethnic minorities.
When the falling-out between the then-President Uhuru Kenyatta was simmering, he was asked to denounce his support for him lest he loses his position as the deputy speaker.
I remember trying to intervene for this not to happen to him together with senators Irungu Kang’ata, James Orengo, Njee Muturi, Samuel Poghisio and Njeru Ndwiga, but Professor decided to remain loyal to the cause.
It wasn’t easy for me and other senators, as he was an innocent man, with no single charge hence there was no motion before the Senate to remove him.
Politics being what it is, he was ousted, although majority of the speeches on the floor that day sounded like a dirge; a celebration of the person of Kindiki.
Later on, it was my time to be ousted as senator and he stood with me. On May 17, 2022, 31 electors convened at the Deputy President’s residence in Karen to vote on who was to be the running mate of then-Deputy President Ruto.
It was a daunting task that lasted a record 17 hours.
Earlier on, Cecily Mbarire, Alice Wahome, Kimani Kuria, John Kiarie (KJ), Kithure Kindiki and I had been tasked to come up with a speech to unveil the running mate.
There were several candidates, but the list narrowed down to Rigathi Gachagua and Kindiki.
When the vote was cast, Kindiki was the most preferred with 23 votes against five, yet due to other considerations, the former was chosen.
This wasn’t easy for many of us, as we had opined that Prof was best placed to complement the President as his principal assistant. Kindiki became the chief presidential agent and he went on to assign us various roles in the campaign.
I was deployed to be in charge of Kiambu Town constituency, although, I was later on promoted to be in charge of Mt Kenya West together with Kimani Ichung’wah and Ndindi Nyoro.
Also together the Moses Kuria and Hon King’ang’i, we were charged with Operation Linda Kura, to protect our presidential vote and we directly reported to Prof at Hustler Plaza where he efficiently coordinated the presidential agents and the national tallying centre at Bomas.
Thanks be to God that on August 15, 2022, William Ruto was declared President-elect, and on September 5, the Supreme Court confirmed unanimously that he had been validly elected.
On September 13, he was sworn in as the fifth president, and on September 27, Kindiki was named the minister for Interior.
Little did we know that only two years later, Kindiki would ascend to the second highest office in the land as we had voted!
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but the end, it shall speak, and not lie. Though it may tarry, wait for it, but it shall surely come to pass. (Habbakuk 2:3 )."
We wish Deputy President Prof
Kithure Kindiki all the best as he
serves the nation and humanity at
large.
