President William Ruto is already laying the foundation for his 2027 re-election campaign by rethinking his political strategy and forming new alliances.
One of the biggest moves being discussed behind the scenes is dropping Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as his running mate. Sources close to Ruto say the president is now looking beyond the Mt. Kenya region, which gave him strong support in 2022 but has recently become unpredictable and less united.
According to KTN News, Ruto’s allies have started internal discussions about replacing Kindiki. Data from internal polls reportedly shows that Mt. Kenya may not deliver the same number of votes it did during the last general election.
In 2022, Ruto received over 2.9 million votes from Mt. Kenya while his rival Raila Odinga got about 848,000. But the political mood in the region has changed, with growing dissatisfaction among leaders and residents, weakening Ruto’s hold on the area. This has forced him to explore other regions for support.
President William Ruto and Kithure Kindiki during the swearing in of Kindiki as Deputy President. Photo courtesy.
One of the names being considered for deputy president is Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka. With over 1.4 million registered voters in Ukambani, Kalonzo is seen as a strong candidate who could help pull support from regions that did not back Ruto in 2022. Reports indicate that emissaries from the Kenya Kwanza side have already reached out to Kalonzo, offering him the position of running mate in exchange for joining the coalition.
Apart from Kalonzo, Ruto’s team is said to be considering working with ODM, Raila Odinga’s party. Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has reportedly been mentioned as a potential running mate to attract support from Nyanza and promote gender balance. Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula are also being discussed, especially because of their influence in Western Kenya.
Political analyst Herman Manyora has introduced a new idea, suggesting that Ruto could go for a Muslim running mate. With the Muslim vote estimated to be over five million, this move could change the usual ethnic-based voting and shake up the political landscape ahead of 2027.
It could also help Ruto reach regions like Coast and North Eastern where Muslims are the majority.
The process of picking a running mate will be a big test for Ruto’s ability to manage coalitions and read the political mood.
Though alliances shift and voting blocs change, Ruto must choose carefully if he hopes to repeat his victory in the next election.
