The Kenya’s 2010 constitution says that if the office of the Governor becomes vacant, his or her deputy automatically becomes the head and is sworn in as a governor.
This means that Kenyans cannot go to a by-election to elect a governor.
The office of the governor can become vacant through death, resignation and impeachment.
So far, since 2013 election that saw pioneering of leadership of governors, death has claimed the office of the governors vacant than any other reason.
Only in 2020, that impeachment became a reason in Kimabu county for their Deputy James Nyoro to be sworn in.
Here is a list of deputies who replaced their masters.
1.James Nyoro – Kiambu, 2020
He became a governor of Kiambu county after Baba Yao aka Ferdinand Waititu was impeached on various accounts of corruption.
James Nyoro unsuccessfully vied for Kiambu Governor’s seat in 2013 before losing it to William Kabogo
2. Joyce Laboso – Bomet, 2019
Shadrack Rotich was sworn in as the new Bomet County Governor in December 2019 after the demise of former Governor Joyce Laboso.
Laboso succumbed to cancer in 2019. She battled cancer for a couple of years
3. Nderitu Gachagua – Nyeri , 2017
He passed on in February 2017 due to pancreatic cancer at Royal Marsden Hospital in London .
Nderitu was later replaced by Samuel Wamathai as the governor.
4.Wahome Gakuru- Nyeri , 2017
Mutahi Kahiga took over Wahome when he died in late in November 2017.
Wahome died in a health facility after he failed to survive an early morning heinous accident
