Businesses in Kenya have been forced to make late evening changes to their operations after the government declared Friday, November 1, a public holiday in gazette notice released Thursday evening.

Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi says the public holiday is to allow for the swearing-in of Abraham Kithure Kindiki as the new Deputy President after the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua.

Prof Kindiki, who has been serving as the Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary, is set to take his oath on Friday at 10am at KICC following his nomination by President William Ruto last week.

The ceremony was postponed after Gachagua rushed to court to block his ouster but on Thursday a three-judge bench ruled that he takes his oath to fill the vacant office as the court petition is heard.

In his court petition, the embattled former Mathira MP had also challenged Kindiki’s nomination by President Ruto to replace him after his impeachment by both the National Assembly and the Senate.

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“It is notified for the general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Public Holidays Act and sections 3(b) and 12(3) of the Assumption of Office of President Act, declares Friday, 1st November 2024, to be a public holiday, being the date of the swearing-in of the Deputy President-designate,” read the Gazette Notice issued by Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi.

On Thursday, Justices Anthony Mrima, Eric Ogola, and Dr Freda Mugambi lifted conservatory orders that had been issued by a Kerugoya Court on October 18 barring Kindiki from assuming his new role as DP.

According to the three judges, the continued vacancy in the Office of the Deputy President is in violation of sections of the Constitution, which necessitate the post to be filled without any unwarranted delay.

“We are convinced and find that the current constitutional framework does not envision any scenario in which the Office of the Deputy President would remain vacant except during the brief period required to fill a vacancy,” ruled the three-judge bench.

Another gazette notice issued on Thursday by Chairperson of the Assumption of the Office of Deputy President Committee Mercy Wanjau confirmed Kindiki will be sworn in at KICC in Nairobi at 10am.

However, the decision to declare Friday a holiday has caught most businesses off-guard forcing them to abandon or reschedule their Friday commitments following the late communication of the declaration.