A tranquil serenity envelops the little-known village of Irunduni, hidden deep within the remote corners of Mukothima ward in Tharaka Nithi county.

This quiet, unassuming hamlet, far from the rush and clamour of the world, might seem an unlikely birthplace for Kenya’s second-in-command and a family that boasts of producing eight members with sterling academic credentials. Yet it was here, 52 years ago, that Professor Abraham Kithure Kindiki took his first breath.

The road to the sleepy village unfolds through a marginalised region, where visitors are greeted by the scorching sun, swirling dust, brittle dry grass, and the rustling of thorny acacia trees swayed by the dusty wind.

Finally, tucked amid this stark terrain lies the home of a family of nine professors and scholars. A family that now counts among its own Kenya’s third Deputy President, Prof Kithure Kindiki.

Prof Kithure was born into a family of nine siblings and he grew up in a poor humble background.

Semi arid region

Born on January 16, 1972, at Chogoria Mission Hospital, the son of Daniel and Ann Kindiki, who according to villagers grew up in a muddy house in a semi-arid region faced with acute water shortage, poor roads and prolonged drought that frequently engulfed it.

Described as bright, humble, generous, humorous, hard-working and a good singer by family members and villagers, Kithure grew up in a social set-up that experienced numerous economic challenges that his peasant farmer father who doubled up as a priest in the Methodist Church of Kenya struggled to overcome.

Mzee Daniel Kindiki describes his son, Kithure as a unique and gifted child who grew up under a normal environment, bracing the financial constraints faced by the family and would sometimes survive on only one meal a day, particularly during the drought season when the area experienced acute food shortage.

“I did not have a formal job and we depended on farming and livestock keeping in this remote and semi -arid region that frequently experienced prolonged drought. The frequent acute water and food shortage affected the residents so much ,” said his father.

However, Mzee Kindiki says, that did not stop him from educating his children up to the university level and is apparently proud of overcoming the harsh environment to produce world acclaimed academicians..

They include Jonah Kindiki, the first born, a professor in International Education and Policy at Moi University, Prof Moses Mpuria Kindiki ( Political Economics at Masai Mara University) , Prof Stephen Githiji Kindiki (Linguistics at Daystar University), Prof Isaiah Kindiki (Soil Physics), Prof Mary Kindiki (Community Worker), Prof Margret Kindiki (Parasitologist) and Prof Sarah Kindiki (Microbiologist at Masinde Muliro University).

Ironically in the countdown to the 2022 General Election, while Prof Kithure was President William Ruto’s blue-eyed boy in Mt Kenya East, his elder brother Prof Isaiah fronted for Raila Odinga’s Azimio La Umoja coalition.

Political ambitions

The other brother, Prof Jonah Nyagah Kindiki, had political ambitions in 2017, having briefly campaigned for the Tharaka National Assembly seat before he retreated back to the university.

“Kithure was a unique child because I could see some leadership qualities in him by the time he was five years old. He would occasionally intervene in any fight among his brothers and successfully restore peace,” says Rev Kindiki.

The old man says that compared to his other children, Kithure was a good listener and avoided being punished by all means by taking instructions and ready to apologize for any mistake he made. “He really feared the cane and anytime he crossed your path, he was ready to quickly apologise,” he said.

Rev Kindiki adds that Kithure was very inquisitive since his childhood and would always ask many questions as he sought answers, a move he said made them spend most of their free time together.

The father at the same time says that Kithure’s hard work was not only evidenced in his excellent academic performance in school but also on the farm .

He says that his son loved farming and by the age of 12 years he had allocated himself a portion of land in their farm where he grew maize and beans which he sold to buy himself clothes and other personal items.

“He was very hard working and whenever I could send them to the farm Kithure would finish his portion ahead of the others,” he added.

Mzee Kindiki, who was the only survivor after all his other 13 siblings died from a mysterious disease, said he raised his children in a Christian background after witnessing the tragedy that wiped out all his family members.

“My son, who is now the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, grew up in a Christian background because of what I went through as a child. I decided to raise them in the church to enable them grow up with love, respect and dignity to serve all Kenyans,” says the old man.

According to a neighbour, Jacob Musee the Deputy President was a good church choir singer and was for a long time the chairperson of the youth group at Thiiti Methodist Church until the time he relocated to Nairobi to pursue his academic dreams.

Prof Kithure, while speaking at Marimanti Methodist Church last year, narrated how his father was orphaned at the age of two years and how he grew up alone after a mysterious disease killed the entire family of 13 siblings ,parents and all the livestock .

“My dad really grew up in a poverty ravaged environment after his family died living him alone as an orphan and when he grew up he had to run away from misfortunes that befell his family and sort refuge at Tseikuru in Kitui county where he worked as a foreman before he give his life to Christ. That is how he became a priest in the Methodist Church,” Kithure recalled last year.

The 52-year-old Kithure who is married to a University of Nairobi lecturer Joice Gateria and is blessed with three children, began his early education at Irunduni Primary School in 1980 where he schooled up to Class Six before joining Kamatungu Boarding School where he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) scoring 72 points out of possible 72.

He then joined Lenana Boys High school before transferring to Tharaka Boys where he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and attained a grade of B+.

According to one of his primary classmates, Musee ,the outgoing Interior CS ,who was the school time keeper, was a bright child who always topped his class from Standard One to Six .