CS Wandayi rules out Siaya governor bid, vows to campaign for Ruto in 2027

Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi /FILE

Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi has shelved a run for Siaya governor, saying he will campaign for President William Ruto’s reelection in 2027.

Speaking in Nairobi during an interview with the Star, the CS sought to quell persistent speculation about his political ambitions in Siaya.

He said his attention is on service delivery in government and supporting the President’s development agenda. ODM’s James Orengo is the governor of Siaya.

“I had intended to run for governor of Siaya County in 2022. However, after intensive consultations with relevant stakeholders and having been prevailed upon by Baba Raila Odinga to bide my time, I opted out of the race, and that is how we supported Governor Orengo,” he said.

“Since then, a lot has happened, and contrary to any perceptions out there, I don’t intend to run for either the governor of Siaya or any other elective position in 2027. Of course, I remain a politician, but currently, I am focused on service delivery under the docket that I have been entrusted to lead in government.”

The Energy CS said his political priority over the next two years will be mobilising support for President Ruto’s second term — both within Nyanza and nationally.

“On the matter of presidential elections in 2027, I am clear in my mind, and I have said this a number of times, that our sure bet, firstly as a party, that is the Orange Democratic Movement, and secondly as a region (Nyanza), where I come from, is [for] President William Ruto,” he said.

“It makes great sense that we support him to complete his two terms before charting the next course of action.”

Wandayi said that even as ODM, under the leadership of Oburu Oginga, has initiated formal consultations with Ruto’s ruling UDA aimed at striking a pre-election pact ahead of 2027, his position is already settled.

“On my part, there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that I will pitch for President Ruto in that coming election. Everything else is secondary. The primary thing is that I will offer my full support for his re-election, and I will do my best, not just in the region where I come from but nationally.”

Wandayi anchored his confidence on both his political experience and his long professional journey that predates elective office.

Raised in a rural setting, he attended primary school in his village before joining Sawagongo High School and later the University of Nairobi, where he earned a degree in Agricultural Economics.

He later completed an MBA, a diploma in institutional management, and a law degree at Daystar University.

Before joining politics, Wandayi built a corporate career in management at British American Tobacco, rising through the ranks and serving on international assignments in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He resigned midway through a two-year posting in 2013 to contest his first parliamentary seat.

“I have been a member of Parliament from 2013 to 2024, elected three times. I have also been the leader of the minority party in the National Assembly. Previously, I chaired the Public Accounts Committee for five good years. I have a good understanding of the national landscape,” he said.

He added that his current role as Energy and Petroleum CS has further broadened his perspective.

“In my docket, the Ministry of Energy, I interact on a day-to-day basis with Kenyans of all walks of life, all backgrounds and from all parts of the country. So I know what I am talking about, and I will do whatever it takes on my part to support the President from my region and also elsewhere in the country.”

Asked whether selling President Ruto’s re-election bid in 2027 would be an uphill task, Wandayi said the government has already registered significant progress, particularly in the energy sector.

“We have done wonders. We have covered a lot of milestones, and there is immense stability in the energy and petroleum sector, which has traditionally been a very volatile sector,” he said, adding that the ministry is central to the economic transformation agenda.

Wandayi also enjoys growing backing from senior ODM figures and grassroots leaders who credit his stewardship at the Energy ministry for stabilising the sector and positioning Nyanza within the national development framework.

“I knew him right after he left university. His first job was as Raila’s PA. He is sharp,” Oburu Odinga said.

“His patience is what earned him the Cabinet position. When we were negotiating these ministries, he told me of his interest and agreed to leave the MP and minority leader seats, and I could not resist supporting him.”

Besides Oburu, Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor has publicly endorsed Wandayi, praising his resilience and political journey.

“I recall the days when life was very difficult, and I could travel to Nairobi to represent Wandayi after he had been charged with treason in the 90s at the time,” he said.

“It has been a journey, and many people who have come lately think it has been easy… let them know that the CS was among the only three people Raila consulted before making major decisions in ODM,” the MP said. 

With Wandayi ruling himself out of the Siaya race, the field narrows to Orengo, Ugenya MP David Ochieng, and former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo.

While he remains an active politician, Wandayi insisted that 2027 is not about personal ambition. “For now, my duty is clear: deliver in my ministry and help the President succeed,” he said.

As political temperatures rise, Wandayi’s declaration places him firmly in President Ruto’s corner, signalling a boost for the ruling coalition’s outreach in Nyanza.