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The last few months have seen Kenyans experience the deputy presidency of Kithure Kindiki with his approach to politics bearing some resemblance to that of his boss, President William Ruto.
In addition to his duties as the second-in-command, Kenya’s fast-paced politics and the quest to fulfil Kenya Kwanza’s pledges have kept Kindiki busy and his approach appears to have borrowed heavily from the President’s.
From a soft-spoken politician who worked in silence and allowed the result to speak for itself to an abrasive but tactful politician whose measured words bear the same weight as abrasive political attacks, his evolution has revealed a side that many were not familiar with and here are some tactics that he has embraced or have come to light.
Dalliance with the church
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Like his boss, Kindiki has also developed a very close relationship with the church and the clergy, with a devotion that many were not familiar with prior to his nomination and subsequent appoint as the DP.
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From hosting the clergy at his home to attending church events, including fundraisers, Kindiki cuts the image of a politician rooted in the church and this is no surprise being the son of a catechist.
Whether this close relationship existed prior to becoming the second in command, but was hidden from the glare of the cameras is a different matter.
Hefty donations: The game of cash & generosity
Heft donations at church and political events are increasingly becoming a part of Kindiki’s political existence and replacing the image of the soft spoken and modest politician who gave in silence.
5 tactics resembling Ruto’s & the evolution of Kindiki in politics
This week alone, the DP has dished millions at various events and a look at his record indicates that the church has also been a beneficiary of his new-found generosity that bears close resemblance to his boss.
While at it, the DP has been tackling criticism related to the millions splashed which he recently defended as “development”.
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"Eti kuna watu hawataki hii maendeleo tunawaletea, sasa wanaongea vibaya na madharau. Sisi hii maendeleo tutaendelea nayo wapende wasipende," Kindiki said
Hosting delegations
While serving as the Deputy President before becoming the Head of State, Ruto hosted political delegations and opinion shapers at his residence.
These consultative meetings culminated in the launch of his presidential bid and galvanised support from various players.
A close look at the activities of Kindiki reveals a similar script with delegations trooping to Karen to engage him, with updates shared on social media.
5 tactics resembling Ruto’s & the evolution of Kindiki in politics
This is a part of the DP that was hitherto unknown, including in his initial days as the DP but one which has become prominent in recent days.
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Embu county MPs, 78 MPs from coffee-growing regions, artistes from Mount Kenya region, Embu County political leadership are among the delegations that have been hosted at Karen.
Combative politics, locking horns with critics & fiery responses
Once known for his soft-spoken nature, working in silence and letting the results do the talking including when he served in the Internal security docket, Kindiki has embraced combative politics in which he takes critics headon.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki speaking during a meeting where he hosted Embu county residents at his official residence in Karen on January 17, 2025.
Unleashing his claws, he digs into political opponents with scathing attacks and fiery responses that were hitherto uncharacteristic of hi, with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua often bearing the brunt.
Ring-fence the Mount Kenya vote block and consolidate political support ahead of the 2027 election is perhaps the reason for this approach that has become apparent in recent days.
This approach appears to borrow heavily from his boss who is never hesitant to lock horns with critics and political rivals with political salvos and fiery responses.
Mixing tours, development & politics
By virtue of his office, it is normal for the DP to traverse the country in development tours and to interact with the public.
A close look at the development tours however reveals that politics often find its way to the podium despite the meetings being fronted as development tours.
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Case in point is this week when the DP presided over various community empowerment initiatives which turned out to be political events to slam critics and present a case why the current regime should be voted back.
There is little difference between these tours and those of the president and his allies.