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Kindiki's poll rankings tilt 2027 Ruto running mate slot in his favour
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
By virtue of recent opinion polls, Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki appears well positioned to retain his place on President William Ruto's ticket should the Head of State secure re-election in the 2027 General Election.
Several surveys continue to rank Prof Kindiki as the most preferred running mate for President Ruto ahead of other leaders serving in the broad-based government.
The latest poll, released on Monday by Infotrak, shows Prof. Kindiki leading the field with 34 per cent support among those mentioned as potential running mates. He is the only contender to score above the 20 per cent mark.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga came second with 11 per cent, followed by ODM leader Dr Oburu Oginga at five per cent and Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho at four per cent.
Governor Wanga has already declared that she will seek re-election in Homa Bay, while Dr Oburu is expected to contest the Siaya Senate seat once again.
Mr Joho, meanwhile, has been touted by some Coast region politicians who view him as a strong political figure in the region.
Co-operatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi have also been mentioned by some leaders from Western Kenya as possible alternatives to Prof Kindiki. However, none of them featured in the Infotrak survey.
Last week, while addressing a gathering in Trans Nzoia County, Mr Mudavadi made it clear that he is not interested in becoming President Ruto's running mate, saying his political ambition is to vie for the presidency in 2032.
Interestingly, Prof Kindiki also enjoys the highest support in regions where other potential candidates are considered politically influential. In Western Kenya, he leads with 36 per cent, while in Nyanza he commands 28 percent support, higher than Governor Wanga's 21 percent in her perceived political backyard.
Similarly, at the Coast, Mr Joho garnered 11 per cent support, compared with Prof Kindiki's 23 per cent.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has been leading leaders from Mt Kenya East in insisting that Prof Kindiki should remain Deputy President.
He has said leaders from the region are prepared to part ways politically with their counterparts from Mt Kenya West if their position is not supported.
Within the broader Mt Kenya region, Prof Kindiki received 22 per cent support among respondents who want him to remain President Ruto's running mate.
The findings are consistent with an earlier TIFA poll released on May 14, which placed Prof. Kindiki at 59 per cent, far ahead of Governor Wanga at 12 per cent. Dr Oburu Oginga scored three per cent, while Mr Joho received one per cent.
If the opinion polls are anything to go by, the debate over who should be President Ruto's running mate in the 2027 election may already be settling in Prof Kindiki's favour, giving the ruling camp ample time to prepare for the election.
Should President Ruto ultimately settle on Prof Kindiki as his running mate, the Deputy President is expected to strengthen the ticket's chances of securing more than 1.3 million votes from Mt Kenya East, comprising the counties of Embu, Meru and Tharaka-Nithi.
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