A total of 108 senior officials working in the office of the Deputy President have been directed to take compulsory leave, after the impeachment of former DP Rigathi Gachagua.
In a Memo seen by the Star, the decision follows the impeachment of Gachagua.
The affected staff are those whose terms of service are tied to the Deputy President’s.
“Following the ongoing Constitutional process affecting His Excellency the Deputy President, it has been decided as follows; All officers in Job Groups T and U are hereby instructed to proceed on compulsory leave with immediate effect.
“All serving officers in Supernumerary Contracts shall also proceed on compulsory leave with immediate effect,” reads the Memo by Principal Administrative Secretary Patrick Mwangi.
Those affected include advisors, senior staff and private secretaries among others.
Mwangi in the Memo copied to Head of Public Service Felix Koskei further directed all heads of department to ensure they appoint people who will be responsible for the affected offices.
“All Heads of Department are directed to ensure they designate in writing a responsible officer to be in-charge of their respective Departments with a copy to the Chief of Staff and the Principal Administrative Secretary.
“All Heads of Department shall ensure conformity to these directives by 1200hrs on October 19, 2024.”
The move follows the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, which was upheld by the Senate on Thursday.
Senators voted to uphold at least five charges against Gachagua.
These included ground one of shareholding, ground four of undermining the Independence of Judges, ground five of the National Cohesion and Integrity Act 4, ground six of crimes under the National Cohesion Act and ground nine of gross misconduct (Public Attacks to NIS).
The motion of impeachment was tabled by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse in the National Assembly last week.
Mutuse preferred 11 charges upon which MPs voted to send President William Ruto’s principal assistant packing.
The accusations include gross violation of the constitution, undermining the President, undermining devolution, irregular acquisition of wealth, publicly attacking a judge, intimidating acting Kemsa CEO, promoting ethnicity, and insubordination to the President among other charges.
A total of 281 MPs voted in favour of the ouster motion against 44 who voted to save his young political career from sudden death. One abstained.
Following the impeachment, President William Ruto nominated the Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary as the new Deputy President on Friday.
The National Assembly approved and gazette Kindiki’s nomination.
He now awaits swearing in following conservatory orders issued by the High Court stopping Gachagua’s replacement from taking office.