Western leaders push Ruto to pick Wetang’ula as 2027 running mate
Western leaders push Ruto to pick Wetang'ula as 2027 running mate
Several leaders from Western Kenya have intensified pressure on President William Ruto to name National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula as his running mate in the 2027 General Election, injecting fresh momentum into the growing political debate over the country’s deputy presidency.
The renewed calls come at a time when the position of Deputy President has become one of the most closely watched offices in Kenya’s political landscape, with speculation over President Ruto’s 2027 ticket continuing to dominate succession politics despite Deputy President Kithure Kindiki currently holding the position.
Speaking during a women empowerment programme in Lurambi Constituency on Saturday, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa declared that Western Kenya had settled on Wetang’ula as its preferred candidate for the deputy presidency in 2027 and its presidential flagbearer in 2032.
“As the people of Western Kenya, we have identified our own leader, and that leader is National Assembly Speaker Moses Masika Wetang’ula. He is equal to the task. We want our people to understand that after we re-elect President William Ruto in 2027, we expect the presidency to come to Western Kenya in 2032,” Barasa said.
The governor argued that the region had strengthened its support for President Ruto following the rollout of key development projects, including roads, hospitals, markets and sports infrastructure, saying the gains had made it easier to campaign for the President’s re-election.
“If we achieve these targets, Western Kenya will deliver about four million votes to President Ruto in 2027,” he said.
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The push adds another layer to the conversation surrounding the deputy presidency, a position that has attracted significant political interest in recent months.
Although Kindiki currently serves as Deputy President, any attempts to sideline him from the 2027 ticket are expected to trigger political debate within the Kenya Kwanza coalition, with leaders increasingly positioning themselves ahead of the next General Election.
The Deputy President’s position has been attracting a lot of interest and is likely to be a key determinant of the outcomes of next year’s elections.
Several Members of Parliament echoed the calls, with Budalang’i MP Raphael Wanjala claiming that leaders from the region had agreed during consultations in Naivasha that Western Kenya should be considered for the deputy presidency in exchange for backing President Ruto’s second-term bid.
Lurambi MP Titus Khamala also shifted his support from Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to Wetang’ula, saying he now believes the Speaker is best placed to lead the region’s future presidential ambitions.
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