From left: Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata.
The battle to succeed former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has kicked off in earnest, with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi being touted as front runners.
Prof Kindiki’s bid has been strengthened by the recent opinion polls by Infotrak and Tifa, putting him ahead of the pack, but the decision ultimately lies with President William Ruto.
While the Infotrak survey shows that 20 per cent of Kenyans prefer Prof Kindiki, Tifa ranked him even higher at 37 per cent.
“Most of Kenyans listed expertise and experience as the reasons why they chose their candidates, with Kindiki leading in this area,” the Infotrak poll said.
For Tifa, “most Kenyans expect Prof Kindiki to fill the vacancy if the current DP is removed, with this expectation being particularly strong among residents of the Mt Kenya region.”
However, Tifa clarified that the survey did not measure the overall popularity of potential replacements for Gachagua.
Born on July 16, 1972 in Irunduni village, Tharaka constituency, Prof Kindiki is on the cusp of becoming the second in command and just a heartbeat away from Presidency.
An advocate of the High Court of Kenya with 21 years’ experience, Prof Kindiki is the only Cabinet Secretary to have kept the docket he was appointed to in September 2022; all other CSs appointed at the time have either fallen by the wayside or reshuffled.
The Interior CS enjoys a long running relationship with President Ruto, having been his lawyer while he was facing charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Having been endorsed by MPs in the run-up to the 2022 elections as Dr Ruto’s running mate, Prof Kindiki had a better chance to clinch the coveted position.
For Mr Kang’ata, since his election as Murang’a Governor in 2022, he has concentrated on local governance issues.
His journey began at Murang'a Township Primary School (now Vidhu Ramji Primary School) from 1986 to 1993, before he moved on to Thika High School, where he earned an A-minus in his national exams.
He later enrolled at the University of Nairobi for a Bachelor of Laws degree.
During his university years, Mr Kang’ata served as vice-chair of the Kenya Law Students Society and the Student Organisation of Nairobi University but faced a two-year suspension for allegedly leading a strike.
He rose to prominence when he represented Ms Rebecca Kerubo in a case that led to the resignation of Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Barasa in 2012.
He was elected as the Kiharu MP in 2013 on a TNA ticket, serving one term before becoming Murang’a Senator on a Jubilee ticket.
Mr Mudavadi doubles up as the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance government.
A seasoned land economist, Mr Mudavadi served as the seventh Vice-President as well as a deputy prime minister and has held key ministerial positions across several administrations, working under three presidents.
In 1989, he made history as the youngest minister ever appointed in Kenya at the age of 28, a role bestowed upon him by the late President Daniel Arap Moi.
Married to Tessie, they are blessed with three children. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Land Economics (Hons.) in 1984 from the University of Nairobi, is a Member of the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (M.I.S.K) and a Registered Valuer (RV), and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in Peace and Sustainable Development by Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) in 2022.
Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wah, the MP for Kikuyu Constituency, is also being mentioned in some quarters.
Mr Ichung’wah launched his political career in 2013 when he was first elected to the 11th Parliament on a TNA ticket. In the 2017 general elections, he made history as the first MP to be elected unopposed under the 201o Constitution.
Before joining politics, Mr Ichung’wah had enjoyed an illustrious career in the private sector, holding senior management positions in several companies including Diversey Lever East Africa, Madison Insurance Company and Standard Group.
