Storm over Kindiki's Tanzania trip as critics query Kenya moral stand

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s presence in Tanzania, where he represented President William Ruto during President Samia Suluhu’s swearing-in ceremony, has elicited mixed reactions. Critics view the mission as an assault on Kenya’s moral authority in regional affairs.

While some analysts and pro-government apologists argue that Kindiki was simply following protocol and respecting his boss’s authority, others believe the decision to overlook the election chaos that claimed hundreds of protesters’ lives undermines his human rights credentials.

Some observers say Kindiki has been reduced to an errand boy, sent on controversial missions that risk damaging his public image. They question how a lawyer of his international standing could attend a ceremony critics claim legitimised an election that, in their view, never took place. 

Kindiki is a distinguished legal scholar who earned a Master of Laws in International Human Rights Law and Democracy from the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 2000. He later obtained a Post-Diploma in Legal Studies from the Kenya School of Law in 2001.

Critics argue that President Ruto’s decision to skip the swearing ceremony and send his deputy instead was a calculated political move. They believe it was meant to shield himself while potentially undermining Kindiki’s credibility in the long run.

Political analyst and African affairs strategist Professor Peter Kagwanja warns that the move could strain diplomatic relations between Kenya and Tanzania.

“The move by President Ruto to send Kindiki to President-in c Suluhu’s swearingeremony may be viewed by Tanzania as a lack of endorsement at a critical moment. Even though Kindiki represented Kenya, the gesture could negatively affect relations between the two countries,” Prof Kagwanja observed.

Besides Ruto, several regional leaders, including Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo, Peter Mutharika of Malawi, and the presidents of South Sudan, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, and Lesotho, also skipped the ceremony, which was held at a military parade ground.

Kenyans were quick to draw parallels between the situations in Tanzania and Kenya, especially regarding how both governments handled recent protests. Last year’s Gen Z protests in Kenya left more than 30 people dead, while over 700 lives were reportedly lost in Tanzania.

During the Kenyan demonstrations, Kindiki, as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, was directly in charge, a role that continues to cast a shadow over his public image.

Just as Kenya faced accusations of undermining democracy and suppressing opposition voices during its protests, Tanzania has been accused of maiming, killing and using lethal force to crush dissent.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observer Mission (SEOM) declared that Tanzania’s 2025 general election failed to meet the bloc’s democratic standards. It cited intimidation of opposition leaders, curtailed freedoms and a lack of transparency throughout the electoral process, sharply contradicting Kindiki’s remarks.

Former Malawi Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya, who led the SADC mission, stated that the poll “fell short of the requirements of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021),” the regional benchmark for free, fair and credible elections.

The mission further reported systematic exclusion of opposition candidates through arrests, disqualifications, and intimidation, including the detention of opposition leader Tundu Lissu on treason charges.

In contrast, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki described Tanzania as “inextricably linked to a stable, peaceful and prosperous region” and reaffirmed its importance as a strategic trade partner to Kenya.

“Tanzania remains a key friendly neighbour and a strategic trade partner of Kenya. Kenya’s future is inextricably linked to a stable, peaceful and prosperous region within the context of the East African Community (EAC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” he wrote on his social media pages after attending the inauguration ceremony in Dodoma.

Some critics argue that Kindiki will be haunted by his decision to attend President Samia Suluhu’s swearing-in, particularly among peers in the legal fraternity who view the move as compromising his human rights principles. However, Dr. Elias Mokua, a communication expert and Executive Director of the Loyola Centre for Media and Communication, believes the decision may not harm Kindiki politically since he was acting on instructions from his boss. Still, Mokua notes it could dent his credibility within the legal community.

Former Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba accused Kindiki of abusing his office, especially after President Suluhu claimed that foreigners, including some Kenyans, had infiltrated anti-government protests. She argued that Kindiki’s attendance amounted to an impeachable offence.

“The fact that Kindiki used taxpayers’ money to attend Suluhu’s inauguration and even clapped and smiled as Kenya was being accused of disrupting Tanzania’s democratic process is an impeachable offence,” she said

Pro-government analyst Harun Kamande defended Kindiki, saying he merely followed the President’s directive. He added that such missions allow the Deputy President to build diplomatic networks and gain insights into continental governance.