At least 108 senior officials and contract staff in the Deputy President’s office have been ordered to take immediate compulsory leave amid constitutional process.

Harambee House Annex ordered Job Groups T and U to proceed on compulsory leave following the removal of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office on Thursday.

Principal Administrative Secretary in the Office of the Deputy President (ODP) Patrick Mwangi also directed staff on contracts to proceed on leave alongside senior advisors including Njeri Rugene, Gachagua’s Communications Advisor.

“All officers in Job Groups T and U are hereby instructed to proceed on compulsory leave with immediate effect,” read the memo authored on Friday.

“All serving officers in supernumerary contracts shall so proceed on compulsory leave with immediate effect.”

The memo, copied to Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service Felix Koskei, directs that the directed administrative action is enforced by midday on Saturday.

The memo coincided with the National Assembly’s vote confirming Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki’s nomination as Deputy President by President William Ruto.

Mr Mwangi directed that department heads designate a responsible officer in writing to take charge of their respective departments as they comply to the directive.

“All Heads of Departments are directed to ensure they designate in writing a responsible officer to be in charge of their respective departments, with a copy to the Chief of Staff and the Principal Administrative Secretary,” the memo further states.

Legal battle

The directive came amid spirited efforts to block the swearing in of Prof Kindiki as Deputy President, with Mr Gachagua obtaining temporary orders suspending both the impeachment outcome at the Senate and National Assembly’s vote on Prof Kindiki.

It was not immediately clear whether the State had transmitted an invitation to Chief Justice Martha Koome to preside over Prof Kindiki’s swearing as required in law.

National Assembly remained silent on the status of its decision and was not available to comment on whether it had been served court orders restaining the House from considering Kindiki’s nomination.

The two urgent cases contesting Gachagua’s removal were referred to CJ Koome to constitute a bench with mentions slotted for October 24, 2024.