Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has declared interest in becoming President William Ruto’s running mate in the 2027 General Election, opening up a potential contest for the deputy president’s position currently held by Kithure Kindiki.
Waiguru defended her ambition while praising Ruto’s performance, describing him as the hardest-working president she has served under and dismissing fears that the race for the running mate position could divide the Mount Kenya region.
“I have expressed my interest in serving as a DP in this country. I think out of the presidents we have had, I have never seen a president work as hard as William Ruto,” Waiguru said.
The governor attributed the criticism facing Ruto’s administration to political opposition, arguing that the President had endured a difficult first two years in office despite delivering tangible results.
“There is a lot of backlash; he has gone through a terribly rough time during his first two years because of opposition politics,” she said.
Waiguru, who has served under former presidents Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta before working under Ruto, cited her experience across the three administrations as the basis for her assessment of the current Head of State.
She also defended the government’s economic performance, arguing that political messaging had overshadowed what she described as measurable achievements.
According to Waiguru, the administration’s record should be assessed using economic indicators and other tangible outcomes rather than political rhetoric.
“His performance record—he just hasn’t worked hard, but there have been tangible things that you can see. When we mention them, because of propaganda, people will say it has not happened, but the truth of the matter is that numbers don’t lie. Inflation has been maintained,” she said.
Waiguru Dismisses Mount Kenya Division Fears
The Kirinyaga governor maintained that expressing interest in the deputy president’s position should not be interpreted as an attempt to weaken political unity in the Mount Kenya region.
“I don’t want to split the mountain; I have always said the people of the mountain should remain united and one,” she said.
Waiguru argued that political leaders should be free to pursue leadership positions as the country approaches the 2027 elections, insisting that her ambition does not amount to a regional power struggle.
She also pointed to the political significance of the deputy president’s office, saying leaders had a right to express interest in securing a new mandate.
“Ruto is the first deputy president to serve two terms. It’s not like we want to split the mountain; we have expressed our interest. Everyone is going to be seeking a new mandate,” Waiguru said.
Kindiki’s Position in the Spotlight
Waiguru’s declaration adds another dimension to the emerging debate over Ruto’s choice of running mate as political alignments begin taking shape ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki currently holds the position, making the selection of Ruto’s potential running mate a significant issue in the administration’s re-election strategy.
The contest could also bring regional representation, political loyalty and coalition-building into sharper focus, particularly within the Mount Kenya region, which remains an important constituency in national politics.
Although Waiguru has publicly expressed her interest, Ruto has yet to announce his running mate for the next election.
Her declaration signals that the race for the country’s second-highest executive office could attract multiple contenders as political leaders position themselves for the 2027 contest.
