Deputy President Kithure Kindiki is turning his attention to Mt Kenya East in a sustained political mobilisation that could shape his chances of remaining President William Ruto’s running mate in the 2027 General Election.
For much of August, Kindiki has moved across Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi, meeting large groups of elders and grassroots leaders as he seeks to strengthen his standing at a time when Ruto’s support in parts of Mt Kenya is under pressure.
The Deputy President’s latest meeting was held on Friday in Manyatta constituency, Embu County, where he brought together grassroots leaders as part of his continued effort to build support in the region.
The campaign has come as Mt Kenya West, which is largely dominated by the Kikuyu community, has shown growing opposition to the ruling UDA party.
That shift has created a challenge for Kindiki, whose political strength and influence in the wider Mt Kenya region have been affected by the changing political mood.
The situation became more clear after a decisive win by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s party in the Ol Kalou by-election.
Kindiki has responded by spending more time in his home region, focusing on the three counties that make up Mt Kenya East.
The area is politically important, with Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi having a combined 1.34 million registered voters in the 2022 General Election.
Meru accounted for 772,139 voters, while Embu had 334,302 and Tharaka Nithi had 231,932.
The Deputy President’s activities have also drawn attention to the larger question facing Ruto as he prepares to seek a second term: who should be his number two in 2027?
With opposition pressure growing, the President is expected to consider the political strength that different potential running mates could bring to his re-election campaign.
ODM has already signalled its interest in the Deputy President’s position under the broad-based arrangement beyond 2027.
ODM leader Senator Oburu Oginga has on several occasions claimed the position for the party.
Three weeks ago, while speaking at State House, Oburu said ODM would not present a presidential candidate, but that other positions remained open for negotiations.
He specifically included the Deputy President’s position among those that could be discussed.
Kindiki remains among the names being considered by Ruto, but he faces competition from several other senior politicians.
Those being considered include Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga and ODM Cabinet Secretaries Wycliffe Oparanya, Hassan Joho and John Mbadi.
Other names in the discussion are Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.
While the debate over the 2027 ticket continues, Kindiki has been using his public meetings to present himself as a leader capable of maintaining support for the administration in Mt Kenya East.
His activities this month have brought together thousands of elders, women, youth and grassroots officials.
He has also worked to activate UDA polling-centre networks in the region.
At Friday’s meeting in Embu, Kindiki was joined by governors Cecily Mbarire of Embu, Isaac Mutuma of Meru and Muthomi Njuki of Tharaka Nithi.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku and Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi also attended the meeting.
Addressing the gathering, Kindiki presented a message of unity and defended the work done by the Ruto administration.
“Today, the whole of Kenya must see that we have spoken in one voice,” Kindiki said in Embu on Friday.
“We have worked and President Ruto is ‘tutam’. And I will deliver that message to the President.”
The remarks came after a month in which the Deputy President has held several large gatherings across the region.
On August 7, he attended a traditional ceremony that brought together about 20,000 elders from Meru and Tharaka Nithi.
A week later, Kindiki addressed more than 30,000 elders from Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu and Mwea.
The meetings have allowed him to reach both traditional leaders and political organisers as he seeks to build a strong base ahead of the next election.
On August 21, Kindiki met about 15,000 UDA grassroots officials in Tharaka Nithi.
He tasked the party officials with defending the government’s record at polling-centre level.
The following day, he addressed more than 40,000 grassroots leaders and opinion shapers from Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Kitui and Kirinyaga.
The meeting gave Kindiki an opportunity to present a four-year scorecard of the Ruto administration while seeking to rally support for the government.
His argument has been that voters in Mt Kenya East should assess Ruto’s administration based on what it has delivered.
Among the achievements he has highlighted are cheaper fertiliser, increased earnings from coffee, tea and milk, the addition of 100,000 teachers, wider healthcare coverage under Taifa Care, electricity connections, roads, affordable housing and youth employment programmes.
The meetings have also served another purpose: showing the political network Kindiki could bring to Ruto’s campaign if he remains on the ticket.
Mt Kenya East is seen as important to Ruto because his support in the wider Mt Kenya region has fallen following his political fallout with Gachagua.
Retaining Kindiki could give the President a stronger hold on Mt Kenya East while helping him maintain some support in Mt Kenya West.
However, replacing him could also create a political risk by moving away from one of the senior leaders still able to campaign for the administration in the region.
Kindiki’s activities throughout August have therefore been closely linked to his effort to prove that he remains capable of delivering votes for the President.
An Infotrak survey released in July gave him an advantage over other potential running mates.
Kindiki was preferred by 34 per cent of respondents nationally as Ruto’s running mate, compared with 11 per cent for Wanga.
In Mt Kenya, he led with 41 per cent, while Waiguru had 14 per cent.
The findings highlight the possible regional cost of replacing him.
Wanga had the highest preference in Nyanza at 35 per cent, while Mudavadi led in Western with 28 per cent.
At the Coast, Joho was the leading choice with 60 per cent.
The figures present Ruto with a difficult political calculation.
Choosing Wanga, Mudavadi or Joho could help the President seek stronger backing in their respective regions, while retaining Kindiki could help protect his position in Mt Kenya East.
However, keeping Kindiki would not automatically guarantee that Ruto secures the entire Mt Kenya vote.
For Kindiki, the immediate task appears to be building enough regional support to make his case stronger before Ruto makes the final decision on the 2027 ticket.
His continued meetings across Mt Kenya East are giving him a platform to show that he still has a political base capable of supporting the administration when the country heads to the next election.