Kindiki’s DP job under siege as Waiguru, Mt Kenya rivals and ODM plot for Ruto’s 2027 ticket

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s political future is increasingly entangled in an intensifying battle for the running-mate position ahead of the 2027 General Election, with rivals from the Mt Kenya region openly questioning his suitability and positioning themselves for the powerful office.

The latest entrant into the contest is Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, who has declared that she intends to run for president in 2032, while making clear that she has not abandoned her ambitions for a greater national leadership role.

Her declaration comes as Ndia MP George Kariuki intensifies pressure on President William Ruto to reconsider his choice of running mate, warning that retaining Kindiki could complicate the President’s re-election bid by alienating sections of the politically influential Mt Kenya electorate.

Although Waiguru has not explicitly declared a bid for the deputy presidency, her refusal to limit her ambitions to county politics places her among the leaders seeking a greater role in national leadership and adds another dimension to the contest surrounding Kindiki.

The unfolding struggle presents a delicate political calculation for Ruto, who must balance regional representation, loyalty, electoral arithmetic and the ambitions of leaders within his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party and the broader Kenya Kwanza coalition.

For Kindiki, the challenge is no longer simply to demonstrate his loyalty to the President. He must also establish that he can command political confidence across Mt Kenya and remain the most viable candidate to accompany Ruto into the 2027 election.

Waiguru opens the succession battle

Waiguru sent a pointed message to political rivals on Tuesday this week when she declared that she would seek the presidency in 2032, insisting that neither gender nor political competition would deter her ambitions.

“Anne Mumbi Waiguru will be on the ballot for the president of the Republic of Kenya in 2032. Take that to the bank. Even if I am going to be alone, the people of Kirinyaga know it,” she declared.

The governor, who is serving her second and final term, dismissed suggestions that she should pursue the Senate seat instead, signalling that her interests lie beyond county politics.

She also challenged the perception that national leadership remains the preserve of men.

“What is it they have that I don’t have? Which journey have they walked that I haven’t? They can mobilise, I can. They can speak; I can speak. Whatever they can do, a woman can do better,” she said.

ODM has also claimed DP’s post fronting CS Wycliffe Oparanya or Homa Bay Governor Glady’s Wanga as likely contenders as a pre-condition to back Ruto’s re-election in 2027.

Waiguru has previously accompanied Ruto to international engagements, including the United Nations General Assembly in New York, presenting her experience in county administration and national political circles as a foundation for greater responsibility.

Her declaration comes at a time when political leaders are already manoeuvring for positions that could shape both the 2027 presidential ticket and the succession beyond Ruto’s second-term ambitions.

While the 2032 presidential contest remains distant, the deputy presidency offers an immediate opportunity for politicians seeking national visibility and influence.

Kariuki questions Kindiki’s suitability

The pressure on Kindiki has been amplified by Kariuki, who has warned that the choice of running mate could determine whether Ruto retains sufficient support in Mt Kenya to secure another term.

The Ndia MP has argued that the region could still vote for Ruto but cautioned that the President must select a deputy who is politically accessible and capable of maintaining strong relationships with elected leaders and grassroots supporters.

“It will be difficult, let me not mince words, but it will be difficult for him to be re-elected. Mt Kenya can still vote for Ruto, but it depends on the running mate slot. He should not choose someone who is difficult to sell,” Kariuki said in a local media interview.

His criticism centres on what he describes as Kindiki’s limited accessibility and inadequate political teamwork, contrasting the current Deputy President with Ruto when he occupied the same office.

“When Ruto was the Deputy President, he was very accessible. Even today, if I want to see Ruto, it is easier to see him than his deputy,” Kariuki said.

He argued that accessibility was essential for coordinating political strategy, maintaining relationships with elected leaders and ensuring that the President’s team operated with a common purpose.

“There was teamwork; we used to know where we were and where we wanted to go, and we had direction because he was available and was the team leader. But the challenge we have today is the lack of that leadership and teamwork,” he added.

Kariuki has also questioned Kindiki’s grassroots mobilisation, suggesting that the Deputy President needs to strengthen his engagement with residents and political leaders if he hopes to consolidate his position.

However, Kariuki’s criticism comes against the backdrop of his own reported interest in becoming Ruto’s running mate, placing his assessment of Kindiki within a wider competition for political advantage.

His remarks therefore represent both a challenge to the Deputy President and an attempt to influence the debate over who should occupy the position in 2027.

ODM adds pressure on the deputy presidency

Kindiki’s predicament is further complicated by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which has identified the deputy presidency as an irreducible minimum in negotiations over a pre-election agreement to support Ruto’s re-election bid.

The demand introduces another layer of uncertainty into the succession calculations.

Should the president seek a formal electoral arrangement with ODM, he could face pressure to accommodate the party’s interests in the presidential ticket or other senior government positions.

Such negotiations would place Kindiki’s position under scrutiny, even if he retained the support of the President and sections of the Mt Kenya political establishment.

The Deputy President has been working to strengthen his regional standing, including through his endorsement by councils of elders representing Kikuyu, Embu, Mbeere and Meru communities at Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu County on September 19.

The endorsement, which included elders associated with Kiama Kia Ma, was an attempt to establish him as a central figure in the region’s political leadership.

Kindiki has also urged regional leaders to respect the guidance of elders, avoid personal insults and maintain a unified political and economic voice ahead of the next election.

He has opposed calls by Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku to split Mt Kenya East and West politically, signalling his preference for a consolidated regional bloc.

But endorsements from elders and appeals for unity may not be sufficient if elected leaders become convinced that another candidate offers better electoral prospects.

Gachagua remains a factor

The contest is unfolding against the backdrop of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s efforts to retain influence in Mt Kenya through his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).

Gachagua has emerged as a major political rival to Ruto and continues to challenge the administration’s standing in the region.

Although he has recently moderated personal attacks on Kindiki and urged his supporters to do likewise, the rivalry between the two leaders remains an important factor in the regional political equation.

For Kindiki, the challenge is to distinguish himself from Gachagua’s political influence while avoiding divisions that could weaken his own standing among voters.

For Ruto, the task is equally complicated: he must manage competing regional interests without allowing the fight for the deputy presidency to undermine his re-election campaign.

Kindiki fights to hold his ground

Not everyone in Mt Kenya believes the deputy presidency is available for negotiation.

Mwea MP Mary Maingi has dismissed attempts to portray Kindiki’s position as vacant, insisting that he remains the right person to serve alongside Ruto.

“The position of Deputy President has a very able occupant by the name of Professor Kithure Kindiki, and I keep saying he is the right man for that position. He understands the role, and he is doing it just amazingly,” Maingi said at Wang’uru Stadium during the finals of her football tournament.

Her remarks underscore the divisions emerging within the region, where some leaders want Kindiki retained while others are openly questioning his political effectiveness or positioning themselves for the job.

Political pundits contend that Kindiki’s survival on the 2027 ticket will depend on more than his performance in government.

“He will need to demonstrate political accessibility, deepen grassroots relationships and persuade Ruto that he remains the strongest choice for securing Mt Kenya support,” a UDA official intimated.