Professor Kithure Kindiki will be sworn in as Kenya's Deputy President on Friday November 1. The ceremony will be held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre from 10am, Secretary to Cabinet Mercy Wanjau confirmed on Thursday evening.
President William Ruto has appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi as acting Interior Cabinet Secretary, a docket Prof Kindiki held.
The gazette notice announcing the swearing-in came just hours after the High Court lifted an order stopping Prof Kindiki's ascension to the DP post.
Minutes after the swearing-in date was gazetted and President Ruto appointed the acting CS Interior, Mr Mudavadi flexed his newly found powers to issue a gazette notice declaring Friday November 1 a public holiday. This effectively means that no petition can be filed to stop the ceremony as all judges will be off duty.
Rigathi Gachagua was removed from the post on October 17 and Prof Kindiki nominated by President Ruto the following day, and approved by National Assembly shortly after.
The impeached DP and other petitioners, however, rushed to court and obtained orders blocking his replacement pending the determination of the cases he had filed challenging his ouster.
In their decision on Thursday afternoon, Justices Anthony Mrima, Eric Ogola and Fredah Mugambi cited the need for continuity of the deputy president’s office.
"This court notes that the office of the DP cannot remain vacant and therefore the court will be on the side of the Constitution, which stipulates that there must be continuity," the judges said.
They noted that the case holds significant public interest and were committed to “an expeditious determination to the petitions”.
