Professor Abraham Kithure Kindiki is a Kenyan politician and lawyer who has served as a senior government official for several years. Kindiki hails from Irundini village in Mukothima Ward, Tharaka Nithi County, Mount Kenya region. He is currently the CS for Interior in President William Ruto’s cabinet. He is married to one wife, Joyce, and has two children.
Early Life
Kithure Kindiki was born on July 12, 1972 in Tharaka. He began his early schooling at Lenana High School and Tharaka Boys High School. He was born and raised in a family of 10 children. Kithure Kindiki’s parents are Daniel and Anne Kindiki. Kithure Kindiki’s father Rev. Daniel Kindiki is a pastor and he raised his kids with discipline and high regard for education and Christian values.
Education
Prof Kithure Kindiki started his education at Kamatungu Boarding Primary School.
He then joined Lenana High School and Tharaka Boys High School in the early 1980s before being admitted to Moi University where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law in 1998. He later attended the Kenya School of Law where he graduated with a Diploma in Legal studies in 2001.
Kithure Kindiki also has a Master’s in International Human Rights Law and Democracy and a PhD in International Law, both from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Career
Prof Kithure Kindiki has a long career after many years of serving as a lawyer, lecturer, and politician.
Before joining politics, he served as a lecturer at Moi and Nairobi universities. He started his teaching career in 1999 as a Law lecturer at Moi University. In 2004, he joined the University of Nairobi where he served until 2005 when he returned to Moi to head the department of Public Law.
Kindiki has served as a Resettlement Consultant, Legal Unit/ Division of International Protection, UNHCR, Branch Office for South Africa, Pretoria. He also acted as a consultant for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and other international and national organizations.
In April, 2008, He had been appointed Secretary of Cohesion in the Justice Ministry; but he resigned from the position in 100 days due to what he called “lack of political will” to address challenges facing the country.
Professor Kithure Kindiki’s political career began in 2011 when he was chosen by William Ruto to as his lawyer for the ICC case he was facing at the time.
He initially wanted to vie for a Member of Parliament seat in 2013, but area MP Mburi Muiru had done a great job by improving education standards in the region. As a great gentleman that he always is, Kindiki supported Muiru for second term and chose the senate as his political stepping stone.
Kindiki became the Senator for Tharaka Nithi County in 2013, a position that he defended successfully in 2017.
In 2022, Kindiki had an ambition to become the governor for Tharaka Nithi County, but his political ally William Ruto, who was then running for presidency, requested him to drop the ambition in favour of a national seat.
Kithure Kindiki was touted to become William Ruto’s running mate and ultimately the Deputy President of Kenya under the Kenya Kwanza coalition in 2022, but he again dropped his bid in favour of the then Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua.
In October 2022, Kindiki was named as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior by President William Ruto.
Family
Professor Kindiki has 8 siblings – 4 sisters and 4 brothers. All the family members are highly educated with a minimum of Master’s degree.
- Nyagah Kindiki is a professor of education at Moi University where Kithure earned his bachelor’s degree in law.
- Isaiah Kindiki is a professor of agriculture with a PhD in soil science. He also owns a large mango farm that they all take care of now.
- Kithinji Kindiki, another brother, is a linguistics lecturer at Daystar University
- Prof Moses Kindiki (international political economy) teaches at Narok University.
- Sarah Kindiki is a medical expert at Masinde Muliro University with a master’s degree in microbiology.
- Margaret Kindiki is a biology teacher at Alliance High School with a master’s degree in applied parasitology.
- Mayanne Kindiki who works at the Kenya Bureau of Standards.
- Ruth Kindiki is in community development in Tharaka Nithi.
Kithure Kindiki’s wife is Joyce Kindiki, whom he married in 2001 and have two children together. Joyce is a University lecturer at the University of Nairobi.
