Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, on Friday, 22 May 2026, sparked laughter and light political banter at an event in Elgeyo Marakwet County as he playfully reflected on his long professional overlap with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
Speaking during the launch of the Cherangany Hills Ecosystem Restoration Programme (CHERISH) in Kapyego, Kindiki highlighted how their academic and political journeys have repeatedly intersected over the years.
He traced their shared journey from university lecturing roles into national politics, noting how their paths seemed to align over time.
“Murkomen is a very good person. I don’t know why, wherever I go, I keep finding that we’ve been together there. I studied at Moi University and went on to become a lecturer at the University of Nairobi. Murkomen studied at the University of Nairobi and went on to become a lecturer at Moi University,” he said.
Kindiki further recalled their time in the Senate and subsequent leadership roles in government, noting that they both served as Interior Cabinet Secretary at different times.
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“I became a Senator, and we met there, too. I became Senate Majority Leader, and when I left, he also became Majority Leader. Later, I was given the responsibility of Interior Minister, and when my term ended, Murkomen also became Interior Minister,” he noted.
Turning the observation into a humorous political moment, Kindiki concluded: “I don’t know what plan you have, but he is a very good leader and has a bright future.”
At the same event, Kindiki rubbished newspaper reports that he was just a Deputy President by name, following his absence from the fuel crisis management meeting.
He explained that leadership was not about being seen in the public eye and confirmed that he was the one who even set up the meeting between the public transport sector stakeholders and the government.
"I saw them writing nonsense, questioning where I was because there was an important meeting involving the Cabinet Secretaries, yet I was missing.
"Murkomen, they don't know that I was the one who sent you to have that meeting. The President told me to look for the Cabinet Secretaries and give them instructions," Kindiki added.
His sentiments were corroborated by CS Murkomen, who argued that most people misunderstood Kindiki's style of working: a reserved yet result-oriented approach.
"I know you called me, CS Chirchir, and CS Wandayi for a meeting in the morning, and you asked me to chair the meeting with the stakeholders. I did so and even announced the results," Murkomen chipped in.
Kindiki's rebuttal came after former DP Rigathi Gachagua claimed that in President William Ruto's absence, the government was run by other individuals and not Kindiki, as provided by the Constitution.
He claimed that the Commander in Chief was not serious about the country by allegedly leaving the country in the hands of Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Coordination, whom he referred to as a blogger.
