From left: Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Governor Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga) and Governor Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a).
The race to succeed Rigathi Gachagua as Deputy President was fiercely contested, with high-profile politicians like Governors Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a) and Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga) positioning themselves as strong contenders for the coveted role.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s name was also floated in some quarters but all indications were that the nominee would come from the Mt Kenya region.
However, when the dust settled, it was Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki from Tharaka Nithi County who emerged victorious, leaving behind a trail of political hopefuls.
His swearing-in remains in limbo after a court order temporarily stopped the replacement of Mr Gachagua as Deputy President.
For weeks, the impeachment of Mr Gachagua had sparked intense lobbying among leaders from the Mt Kenya West region, including the names of Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah.
Many politicians saw this as their moment to ascend to the second-highest office in the land.
Mr Kang’ata, a former Senate Majority Whip with a reputation for being vocal and combative, had been projecting himself as the ideal candidate.
Earlier this week, the first term governor was on a flurry of meeting with MCAs from his Murang’a backyard and Kenya Kwanza MPs, lending credence to reports he was being considered for the post.
The county boss also met former prime minister Raila Odinga.
On Friday, the governor celebrated Prof Kindiki’s nomination.
“Congratulations Prof Kindiki on your elevation (nomination) to the position of Deputy President. You deserved the position and please serve with zeal. Service to mankind is service to God,” he said on the X platform.
Known for his loyalty to Dr Ruto even when he served as DP and his bold approach to defending the region’s interests, many believed Mr Kang’ata’s rise to the Deputy President’s seat was not far-fetched.
His supporters had touted his regional influence and his connections with grassroots leaders, emphasising that Mt Kenya West deserved to retain the position that Mr Gachagua had held until his impeachment. It was not to be.
"We had believed this was our time to hold onto the Deputy President’s seat as Murang’a, especially after Gachagua’s impeachment. But now we must recalibrate and continue with the work in Murang’a because Kindiki is largely acceptable," said an MP from Murang’a, who did not want to be named for fear of antagonizing the presidency.
The legislator urged the governor to refocus on his work in the county and continue advocating for the region, hinting that he could still play a critical role in national politics in the future.
For Governor Anne Waiguru, the disappointment is no less significant.
Having built her reputation as a two-term governor with close ties to President Ruto, Ms Waiguru had been seen by many as a front-runner in the scramble for the Deputy President role.
Her governance experience in Kirinyaga and her influential role in the Council of Governors had made her a natural contender.
In fact, her supporters believed her ascent to national leadership was the next logical step.
“My journey in Public Service has been one for the books, characterised by bringing service delivery closest to the people through Devolution, Huduma Centers, Wezesha, Health Care transformation, and many other amazing people-first initiatives,” she said last week.
But Prof Kindiki’s nomination caught Waiguru and her camp by surprise. Many had expected that her combination of experience, loyalty, and gender balance would make her the perfect fit for the position.
When she jumped ship from retired president Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party to join William Ruto’s UDA in 2021, she had become the senior most elected political point person in the vote-rich Mt Kenya by then.
That political shift had come two months after the former Devolution Cabinet Secretary had endorsed ODM’s presidential candidacy at Nakuru’s Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition launch.
At the time, Dr Ruto had declared that winning Ms Waiguru to her side was not accidental, causing excitement and jitters in political circles.
Women governors had also thrown their weight behind Ms Waiguru.
On Friday, Ms Waiguru was among the first politicians to break the news of Prof Kindiki’s appointment even before it was formally made in the National Assembly.
“My brother Prof Kindiki, my sincere congratulations. To you, history has placed an honor and responsibility accorded to only a few. May God guide you and President Ruto as you lead this great country to achieve its tremendous potential. To those that supported me for this position, I thank you,” she said.
Despite this setback, Ms Waiguru remains a formidable political force given she is concluding her two-term constitutional limit as a governor.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who had been cited a front-runner also congratulated Prof Kindiki.
“I share in the President’s confidence that Prof Kindiki has diligently served as Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Administration of National Government. He has steadfastly supported the President and the Kenya Kwanza Administration to deliver on the promises of transforming the livelihoods of all Kenyans across the country.
“I look forward to working with Prof. Kindiki in the challenging task of nation building, anchored on the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and Kenya’s Vision 2030,” Mr Mudavadi said.
