Kenya's President William Ruto has nominated interior minister Kithure Kindiki as his new deputy president, the parliament speaker said on Friday, hours after the Senate voted to impeach Ruto's previous deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.

"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," Speaker Moses Wetang'ula said in parliament.

The parliament must now vote on Ruto's choice within 60 days.

Kenyan senators on Thursday evening voted to impeach 59-year-old Gachagua on five of 11 charges despite his failure to testify at an impeachment trial after his lawyer said he had been taken to hospital, after a similar motion was overwhelmingly approved by the lower house National Assembly last week.

Gachagua was found guilty on charges of "gross violation" of the constitution, including threatening judges and practicing ethnically divisive politics, but cleared of others including corruption and money-laundering.

He had denied all allegations against him as "nonsensical" and "outrageous" and claimed he was being treated like a "spent cartridge."

(With input from agencies)