Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, when he was crowned Mt Kenya spokesperson by elders, Sept 2026.Deputy President Kithure Kindiki is taking a bigger role in the battle for Mt Kenya, but his biggest test will be whether he can turn his position in government into political support in 2027.
The Deputy President has stepped up his tours of the region, selling President William Ruto’s record while presenting himself as the man who can protect Mt Kenya’s interests today and lead it tomorrow.
Kindiki was in Maragua, Nyeri and Kiambu last week, where he inspected government projects and urged residents to reject the politics of insults and division.
He said his mission was to unite Mt Kenya, deliver development and secure another term for Ruto before positioning himself for the presidency.
“We are in one club and the ball should be given to the fireman because I am the nearest to the goalpost. It only needs to be moved slightly towards me, and I will score,” Kindiki said.
He said Ruto would not seek another term after winning the 2027 election, leaving the way open for him to take over.
“When we give President Ruto another term next year, he will not ask for our votes again because he will retire and join Uhuru Kenyatta in retirement. The goalpost will then be open for the fireman, who is near the goal, to score,” he said.
His strategy rests on a simple argument: Mt Kenya has not been pushed out of government.
The region still holds the Deputy President’s office. Ruto has also cited the presence of Mt Kenya leaders in Cabinet and other senior government positions as evidence that the region retains influence in national politics.
Kindiki also has a political record to point to. He served two terms as Tharaka Nithi senator before becoming Interior Cabinet secretary and later Deputy President.
His support in Parliament is another asset. More than 50 MPs from the mountain have publicly backed him, giving him a network that could be important as he seeks to expand his influence beyond his traditional Tharaka Nithi base.
The stakes are high. Mt Kenya West had 3.11 million registered voters in the 2022 register, while Mt Kenya East — Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi — had 1.34 million.
Together, the two blocs accounted for more than 4.45 million voters, making the region one of the most crucial voting blocs in the upcoming election.
Kindiki’s campaign is therefore not only about winning votes for Ruto. It is also about proving that the region can retain influence by remaining at the centre of government.
However, political observers argue that government positions and parliamentary support do not automatically translate into votes.
The real test, they say, is whether Kindiki can compete with leaders building alternative political bases, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.
Gachagua remains the most direct challenge. The former Deputy President has continued campaigning against Ruto and Kindiki while presenting himself as a defender of the Mountain’s political interests.
His allies have rejected Kindiki’s installation as the region’s spokesman, arguing that political leadership is determined by voters rather than elders.
Nyoro presents a different challenge.
The youthful MP has taken his People’s Party of Kenya beyond his Kiharu base and embarked on national mobilisation after leaving UDA and joining the opposition.
He has also held discussions with several opposition leaders as he builds a separate political platform.
Nyoro’s cooperation with former Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i adds another layer.
The two have appeared together at different events and spoken of working with other opposition leaders ahead of 2027.
Kindiki has responded by avoiding a prolonged personal fight and instead invoking elders, development and unity.
His latest tour came days after Mt Kenya elders endorsed him as spokesman and representative of the wider region, giving him a platform to campaign for unity between Mt Kenya East and West.
Despite gathering momentum, the endorsement has not gone unchallenged.
Some leaders have questioned whether the elders’ meeting can speak for the entire region, arguing that political authority must ultimately be tested by voters.
Taveta MP John Bwire believes Kindiki’s personal qualities give him an advantage.
“One thing that stands out about Kindiki, even among his opponents and fiercest critics, is that his brilliance is difficult to dispute. This is a gifted leader,” he said.
“He is a unifying factor. We thank God for him, and would wish he uses the position he holds to bring us together. He is hardworking and is quick on his feet mentally,” Maragua MP Mary Wamaua said, adding that they will take the critics head-on.
Former President Uhuru is also a critical factor in the 2027 arithmetic.
Although Uhuru has handed the formal leadership of Jubilee to Fred Matiang’i, he has said he will remain involved as a senior adviser. His continued political engagement gives the opposition an experienced Mt Kenya figure with a national network.
Some voices in the region argue that the spokesman’s role still rests with Uhuru. However, lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi disagrees.
“In today's political market, Uhuru's political shares are junk status,” he said, arguing that the former president has lost political weight in the current political landscape.
Laikipia East MP and TSP leader Mwangi Kiunjuri says the current Deputy President has proven his worth and should be retained as part of the region’s demands for 2027.
“We must know what belongs to Mt Kenya ahead of 2027. Already, the opposition is negotiating, and thus we should also set a bare minimum, but the slot of the Deputy President isn’t negotiable,” Kiunjuri said.
Political observers say the Deputy President must persuade the region that retaining him is not merely about keeping a government position, but about securing a place in the succession after Ruto.
They argue that Ruto’s expected departure after 2032 does not automatically make Kindiki the heir to the Mountain’s political influence.
He must build a constituency of his own and demonstrate that the networks supporting him can reach ordinary voters.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The test is not whether Kindiki can tour Mt Kenya or secure endorsements from elders. It is whether he can persuade voters that his presence at the centre of government gives the region enough reason to stay with Ruto in 2027, and whether those votes can form the political base he needs for the succession he is already openly discussing.
