Kindiki at crossroads: Mount Kenya forays political strategy or being sidelined?

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has recently narrowed down his political activities to his Mount Kenya backyard which has raised questions as to whether he is being sidelined in national politics.

Kindiki for the last one month if he is not attending meetings in the various Mount Kenya Counties he is at his official residence in Karen mostly chairing Cabinet Sub-Committees meetings leaving Kenyans wondering whether this is a political strategy or being left in the cold.

The Deputy President has attended meetings in his native Tharaka Nithi County, Meru County, Embu County, Kirinyaga County, Embu County, Murang’a County and Nyeri County and it will be interesting to see if he will maintain the same routine in the next few months.

"Those salivating over my position as Deputy President should forget about it, let them know that I will be President William Ruto's running mate in next year's General Election, they should instead look for other positions within our coalition where they shall be accommodated,” said Kindiki.

He came into office in November 2024 following the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with politicians around President William Ruto vouching for him, stating that he was the choice of the majority to be Ruto’s running mate prior to the 2022 general election.

Several Political formations have laid their eyes on the position of Deputy President as the condition for supporting Ruto’s re-election which has left Ruto in a precarious position as he seeks to assemble a formidable team to ensure his re-election next year comes with a resounding victory.

Kindiki since assuming office, has remained very loyal to Ruto and has been seen attending several meetings with him or at times, representing him in events that he has not been able to attend which has shown that the two leaders enjoy a good camaraderie.

ODM Party Leader Oburu Odinga has come out strongly that the party, which is in a broad-based arrangement with Kenya Kwanza Alliance deserves the Deputy President position with several leaders fronted with Oburu himself saying that he is also qualified for the position.

“The ODM Party will not be fielding a Presidential Candidate during the 2027 general election and will instead be supporting the re-election of President William Ruto; all the other positions, including the Deputy President position, are open for negotiations and I believe I am qualified for it,” said Oburu.

The ODM leaders from Western Kenya have rallied behind Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya as a possible running mate for Ruto where they have argued that ODM and UDA parties should have equal shares in government and that they should get the Deputy President slot.

The ODM Secretary General Catherine Omanyo, said during a meeting in Kakamega in July that the party's support for Ruto's re-election depends on them securing the Deputy President's position in negotiations with UDA and that the Cooperative Cabinet Secretary fits the bill.

“As the ODM, we have agreed that President William Ruto is our candidate in the 2027 general election, but we have also said that the Deputy President must come from ODM and the only person qualified for that position is Wycliffe Oparanya,” said Omanyo.

Coast leaders have renewed their campaign for the Deputy President position ahead of the 2027 General Election, urging residents to register as voters in large numbers to strengthen the region’s bargaining power as they vouch for Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho to get the position.

Political Risk Analyst Dismas Mokua said Kindiki's key performance indicator during the 2027 general elections is to secure at least 40 percent of the Mount Kenya vote for President Ruto since the failure to split the mountain vote for Ruto will bring his upward political trajectory in Kenya Kwanza to an abrupt end.

Mokua said that Kindiki’s key success factor is to develop and execute a strategic narrative to move and influence perceptions in Mount Kenya on account of Gachagua's capacity of misinformation and disinformation, as well as crystalising anti-incumbent sentiments.

“President Ruto's biggest threat in Mount Kenya is no longer Rigathi Gachagua but the capacity to move and influence perceptions using a strategic narrative; that is why Prof Kindiki and other key Ruto allies are on the ground to ensure this is achieved,” said Mokua.

He said that former President Moi is a textbook case on how a Deputy President should behave, where they must not attempt to outshine their bosses and should understand that the running mate position does not morph to a co- presidency upon assuming office.

Mokua said that the probability of Kindiki retaining his position as running mate is almost 100% with Kenya Kwanza tier one politicians like Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula having no interest in the running mate position.

“President Ruto who technically is the ODM de facto leader will manage ODM expectations therefore the dropping of Prof Kindiki as a running mate is a known unknown for President Ruto, currently tier one Kenya Kwanza politicians are consolidating their bases,” said Mokua.

The Political Risk Analyst said that Mudavadi has established the Magharibi Initiative to consolidate support for President Ruto, while Wetangula has been doing grassroots tours to highlight and position Kenya Kwanza success across the country.

The first President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, had three Vice Presidents serving under him including Oginga Odinga who resigned in 1966 after falling out with Kenyatta over the manner he was running the country stating that things were not going well as they had intended.

The Second Vice President the late Joseph Murumbi who previously served as Foreign Affairs Minister in the first Kenyatta Cabinet, opted to resign from politics a few months after his appointment and led a private life until he died in 1990.

Former President Daniel arap Moi who served as Kenyatta’s third Vice President served in that position for 11 years, persevering through humiliation from the first President’s close allies with his patience bearing fruit when he became President when Kenyatta died in 1978 and held that position for a record 24 years.

Late President Moi appointed late Mwai Kibaki as his first Vice President in 1978 a position he held for 10 years before he was dropped and graciously served as Health Cabinet Minister until December 1985 when he resigned and formed the Democratic Party which used to vie for the presidency in 1992 election.

The late Dr Josphat Karanja served as Moi’s second Vice President before being hounded out of office following a vote of no confidence after some political leaders accused him of disloyalty and seeking to have them kneel before him and calling himself Acting President when Mzee Moi was abroad.

The late Prof George Saitoti served as Mzee Moi third Vice President from 1989-1998 and was left out briefly after the 1997 general election and was renamed in 1999-2002 and holds the record as the longest serving Vice President before being dropped after joining the opposition.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi holds the record of the shortest-serving Vice President after being appointed a few months to the 2002 general election and he ended up losing his Sabatia Parliamentary seat with the NARC wave that swept President Kibaki to power

Kijana Wamalwa served as the first Vice President during President Kibaki tenure in power for eight months before dying while in office after which Moody Awori served as the second Vice President under Kibaki until 2007 when he lost his Funyula Parliamentary seat

Kalonzo Musyoka served as Kibaki’s third Vice President after the 2007 general election a position he held until 2013 when Kibaki retired from power with Kalonzo becoming Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga running mate in the 2013 general election.

President William Ruto became the country’s first Deputy President after the 2013 general election after being elected jointly with President Uhuru Kenyatta, serving in that position until 2022 when he was elected as Kenya’s fifth President.

Gachagua was appointed Ruto’s running mate serving in the position for two years before the two fell out, leading to his impeachment, after which Prof Kindiki was named the next Deputy President.