Kenya President William Ruto has nominated Kithure Kindiki, interior minister, as his new deputy.

This comes a day after the senate voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, despite a plea from Paul Muite, Gachagua’s lawyer, to postpone the proceedings.

According to Muite, Gachagua was hospitalised after falling very sick, hours before the vote was set to hold.

In total, 281 MPs voted in favour of the ouster, with 44 voting against. One MP abstained.

Moses Wetang’ula, speaker of parliament, said on Friday that the president had nominated Kindiki.

“I have received a message from the president, regarding the nomination of Professor Kithure Kindiki to fill the vacancy which has occurred in the office,” he said.

Kindiki, a close ally of Ruto, has held the interior ministry post throughout Ruto’s two years as president.

He previously served as senator for Tharaka Nithi County and was a top contender to be Ruto’s running mate during the 2022 election.

Parliament will have to vote to approve Kindiki’s appointment before he is sworn in.

Gachagua, who faced 11 charges, was impeached on five counts.

The charges include ground one of shareholding, ground four of undermining the independence of judges, ground five of the National Cohesion and Integrity Act 4, ground six of crimes under the National Cohesion Act, and ground nine of gross misconduct (public attacks on the national security intelligence service).

The impeached deputy president has repeatedly insisted that the proceedings were a “political witch hunt” and vowed to defend himself.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) says it has killed Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group.

Sinwar topped Israel’s most-wanted list and was believed to be the mastermind of the coordinated attacks on the Jewish nation on October 7 last year.

The IDF said Sinwar was killed on Wednesday after a “year-long pursuit”.

“In recent weeks, IDF and Israeli Security Agency forces, under the command of the Southern Command, have been operating in the southern Gaza Strip, following IDF and ISA intelligence that indicated the suspected locations of senior members of Hamas,” the military said in a statement released on Thursday.

“IDF soldiers of the 828th Brigade (Bislach) operating in the area identified and eliminated three terrorists.

“After completing the process of identifying the body, it can be confirmed that Yahya Sinwar was eliminated.”

Israeli police added that the forensics department completed a DNA test that affirmed Sinwar’s identification.

An edited clip released by the military showed what appeared to be the Hamas leader’s last moments.

In the video, a drone flies into a damaged building where a person — who the IDF says is Sinwar — can be seen sitting on a chair.

The figure’s body was positioned away from the drone but appeared to be looking toward the unmanned craft. The person’s face is obscured and sitting alone.

The video showed the figure holding what the IDF highlighted as a piece of wood, which the person lobs in the direction of the drone.

Daniel Hagari, IDF spokesperson, said Sinwar had been shot in the hand.

“This is the beginning of the day after Hamas,” Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, said.

“Evil has suffered a heavy blow, but the task before us is not yet complete.”

The prime minister warned Hamas its leaders would be eliminated, asking members to surrender and release hostages with a promise of freedom in return.

Later, US President Joe Biden issued a statement congratulating Israel on the operation.

“This is a good day for Israel, for the United States and for the world,” Biden said.

Biden said he would be speaking to Netanyahu to discuss pathways for bringing hostages home and “ending this war once and for all”.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas.

The Kenyan senate has voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

The lawmakers voted Thursday evening despite a plea from Paul Muite, Gachagua’s lawyer, to postpone the proceedings.

According to Muite, Gachagua was hospitalised after falling very sick hours before the vote was set to hold.

Amason Kingi, the senate speaker, said Gachagua had until 5pm local time to show up.

The lawmakers impeached the vice president after his health kept him away from the hearing.

The 59-year-old becomes the first deputy president to be impeached in Kenya’s history.

At least 53 senators voted to uphold the first charge.

Gachagua, who faced 11 charges, was impeached on five counts.

The charges include ground one of shareholding, ground four of undermining the independence of judges, ground five of the National Cohesion and Integrity Act 4, ground six of crimes under the National Cohesion Act, and ground nine of gross misconduct (public attacks on the national security intelligence service).

In June, Gachagua blamed the head of the intelligence agency for not properly briefing President William Ruto and the government over the magnitude of mass protests against unpopular tax hikes.

The vice president’s action was seen as an act of undermining the president.

In total, 281 MPs voted in favour of the ouster motion against 44. One MP abstained from voting.

“DP Gachagua ceases to hold office,” Kingi said after the vote.

If Gachagua does not petition the vote in court, the impeachment paves the way for the nomination and subsequent replacement by Ruto, who has yet to publicly comment on the development.

The impeached deputy president has repeatedly insisted that the proceedings were a “political witch hunt” and vowed to defend himself.