The debate over Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s future is shifting from his possible and likely 2027 running-mate position to whether he is being positioned to succeed President William Ruto if the head of state is reelected.
For months, a section of Mt Kenya politicians allied to Kindiki and UDA has publicly campaigned for him to retain the deputy presidency in the next general election, arguing the region should consolidate its support behind Ruto’s re-election.
However, the political script now appears to be changing, as an increasing number of leaders openly adopt the slogan “Kumi ya Kindiki”, loosely translated as 10 years of a Kindiki presidency after Ruto’s retirement in 2032 (assuming he’s reelected).
Political analysts argue Kindiki is at the centre of two interconnected battles: securing Ruto’s reelection in 2027 and at the same time grooming him for the succession race ahead of 2032.
Political analyst Dr Charles Ng’ang’a told the Star the growing calls for Kindiki to retain the running-mate position in 2027 reflect a broader struggle over Mt Kenya’s place in the country’s political future.
“The demand to retain Kindiki as running mate is not just about an individual holding office. It is also about Mt Kenya’s place in the next government and whether the region will have a credible figure at the centre of national decision-making,” Ng’ang’a said.
“By linking the 2027 ticket to a possible 2032 succession, Kindiki’s allies are trying to keep the region’s immediate interests and long-term ambitions within the same political conversation.”
Kindiki has a distinguished academic and political career. He holds a PhD in Law from the University of Pretoria. He was associate dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Nairobi. He served as an advocate of the Kenya High Court and defence counsel before the ICC, consulting for the AU, Igad, Comesa and UN agencies.
He has been DP since 2024. He served as Interior Cabinet Secretary from 2013 to 2022 and served as senator for Tharaka-Nithi.
Some critics have said he doesn’t hail from the heart of Mt Kenya, calling Tharaka-Nithi a small county on the eastern and southeastern slopes of the Mountain. But an increasing number of supporters call him a son of the soil of the entire Mt Kenya region.
Some critics say intellectual rational Kindiki lacks the red-meat instinct to go for the jugular, considered a necessity in traditional politics, but the terrain is changing and voters are savvier.
But credentials pale in comparison with his wider Mt Kenya roots, his calls for unity and his position as one of their own who would be expected to prioritise the populous region’s interests, although both Ruto and Kindiki argue for equitable development throughout the country.
Analyst Ng’ang’a said Kindiki’s recent remarks during Mt Kenya development tours suggest he is warming to succession talk of his own succession, while continuing to back Ruto’s re-election bid.
Speaking on Tuesday, October 13, during a public event in Kiambu, the DP urged residents to support the President’s reelection bid, while turning the political conversation towards his own ambitions.
“I have heard you talking about Ruto’s two terms, Kiambu MP Machua Waithaka two terms, Njuguna Ka Wanjiku two terms, what about me? I have not heard you talking about me, are you saying four terms? Are you sure? Four terms?” Kindiki asked, prompting the crowd to chant “four terms” as he laughed.
Political analyst Isaac Wanjekeche argued that the growing “Kumi ya Kindiki” calls signal a shift towards preparing for a post-Ruto political era, even as Kindiki’s allies continue to support the President’s 2027 reelection.
Wanjekeche said the changing conversation around Kindiki reflects the realities of presidential politics, in which the deputy presidency can provide a platform for national visibility and a possible springboard, but but does not automatically guarantee succession.
“The conversation has moved beyond the deputy presidency because Kindiki’s allies are no longer simply defending his position in government; they are beginning to define what they want his and their own political future to look like after Ruto,” he said.
“That is a significant shift because it suggests they are thinking about succession early, even as they continue to support the President’s bid.”
He argued that if Ruto retains Kindiki as his running mate in 2027 and the ticket wins, the DP would enter a second term in office with additional government experience, a stronger national profile and potentially greater influence over the ruling coalition’s political direction.
Former Kiambu governor and ICT CS William Kabogo on Tuesday declared his support for Kindiki’s potential 2032 presidential ambition, setting aside his own earlier presidential ambitions.
Speaking in Ruiru town, Kiambu, where he accompanied Kindiki, Kabogo dismissed calls by some politicians for Ruto to serve only one term, arguing that one term does not advance the interests of the region.
“We must ignore petty politics, unite behind Kindiki and support the government to ensure our region benefits from more development,” Kabogo said.
He also pledged to continue supporting the Kenya Kwanza government and Kindiki, arguing that the current administration belongs to the people of Mt Kenya.
“We will support this government no matter what, we will not follow those people. I will support Deputy President Kindiki and we move forward,” Kabogo said.
Former Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, who also attended the event, also urged Mt Kenya residents to continue supporting the government Ruto’s reelection as well as Kindiki’s continued leadership.
“I cannot join the opposition, this is our government, and we will support you, deputy president. Do not be intimidated by anyone; we are fully behind you,” Kuria said.
Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a also supported a second term for Ruto and Kindiki’s continued leadership in the region, reinforcing the message of alignment among the DP’s allies.
Kiambaa MP Njuguna Kawanjiku recently argued that Mt Kenya should support Kindiki as one of its leading political figures, citing the DP’s contribution to the region and his capacity to succeed Ruto.
Nominated MP Sabina Chege also championed Ruto and Kindiki in 2032 during the recent development tour of Murang’a county. She urged the community to avoid premature succession battles and focus on leadership based on merit and the ability to deliver.
She argued that Kindiki had supported the people of Mt Kenya and had emerged as an important regional leader, urging residents to assess leaders according to their performance and contribution to the community.
A month ago, Mt Kenya elders endorsed Kindiki as the region’s spokesman during an event Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu.The elders tasked him with promoting peace and unity across the region.
Speaking on Tuesday during groundbreaking for Kirigiti Primary School, Kindiki said he would honour the elders’ request by reaching out to leaders and communities across the country.
“Elders tasked me to preach peace and I will do it and reach out to everyone. We must respect each other and stop abusing leaders,” the DP said. “President Mwai Kibaki taught us about unity and I have forgiven my enemies and all those who have been calling me all manner of words.”
Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders secretary general Josphat Murangiri recently told the Star that Kindiki was the ultimate heir to Ruto’s administration, arguing that elders had agreed to support him in efforts to unite the community beyond 2032.
“We will talk to our elders across the region and support Kindiki who is our son and have him preach unity and peace. He is the most senior leader Mt Kenya East has ever produced,” Murangiri said.
Support has not been unanimous, however. Kikuyu Council of Elders National chairman Wachira Kiago has opposed Kindiki’s elevation as Mt Kenya spokesman, insisting that former President Uhuru Kenyatta remains the region’s most senior political leader.
Kiago argued that Uhuru had not returned the sacred leadership staff of authority, commonly referred to as the muthigi, which elders awarded him in 2013.
“Forget what they are saying,” he said. “We as Kikuyu elders recognise Uhuru as the regional leader but above all, we need peace and unity.”
Kiago disclosed plans to convene a meeting involving Gema and Kamba elders to endorse Uhuru as the regional leader, highlighting the competing views over who should speak for the wider Mt Kenya region.
Political analyst Geofrey Minodi cautioned that the growing “Kumi ya Kindiki” campaign could complicate the DP’s immediate 2027 political ambitions if succession politics takes centre stage before the general election.
Minodi said Kindiki’s position as Ruto’s potential running mate remains a key consideration, even as his allies increasingly discuss his prospects beyond the current administration.
“There is a danger in turning a conversation about the 2032 presidency into a campaign before the 2027 election has even been decided. Kindiki’s immediate political future depends heavily on Ruto’s decision regarding the running mate, and if the succession debate becomes too prominent, it could create unnecessary tension within the ruling coalition,” Minodi said.
He also argued that Mt Kenya remains politically diverse, with different leaders and factions holding competing views on the region’s future leadership. He cautioned against interpreting the support Kindiki has received from some elders and politicians as a unanimous regional position.
“The problem with presenting Kindiki as the automatic successor is that Mt Kenya has several political centres of influence, and they do not necessarily share the same interests,” Minodi said.
“The competing positions taken by elders over regional leadership show that an endorsement by one group cannot be treated as a binding decision by the entire community.”
Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku, speaking during a Kiambu church service on Sunday, called for unity across Mt Kenya, explaining his earlier symbolic attempt to highlight divisions between the eastern and western parts of the region.
Ruku said the axe he had used to symbolically represent the division between Mt Kenya East and West was not intended to create lasting divisions, emphasising that the community should remain united behind Kindiki as a senior regional political leader.
“No one can divide Mt Kenya, what I was doing was just symbolic and we must unite behind Kithure Kindiki,” Ruku said.
He also urged residents to reject the one-term presidency narrative promoted by opposition figures and called on them to continue supporting the government.
