Which Way For Mudavadi If Ruto Picks Kindiki As DP

Which Way For Mudavadi If Ruto Picks Kindiki As DP

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is experienced, highly competent, a non-flamboyant achiever, and a natural choice, but likely thwarted by regional electoral arithmetic.

All indications point to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki as the likely replacement of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, should the Senate uphold his impeachment by the National Assembly.

Mudavadi, who naturally harbors presidential ambitions come 2032, would quite possibly have been guaranteed Ruto’s backing, had it not been for the entry into the equation of highly competent and trusted CS Kindiki.

Already, the Amani National Congress, a party associated with Mudavadi, is in the process of merging with Ruto’s UDA.

Mudavadi, who resigned as ANC party leader after he was nominated Prime Cabinet Secretary, has even assured party members that they are safe in Ruto’s hands, and committed not to sponsor candidates against the President in 2027.

“Would it be fair if I am the Prime Cabinet Secretary and then I sponsor a candidate to take on the person who appointed me to the position? It is a serious conflict of interest,” Mudavadi said when UDA and ANC announced the merger in June.

Western Kenya leaders have been rallying behind Mudavadi as Ruto’s successor in 2032, while the Mt Kenya region bet on Gachagua before his falling out with the President. 

MPs from Mt Kenya West region recently endorsed Kindiki as their preferred link to Ruto, praising his ability to represent the region’s interests within the national government.

Political analyst Fred Sasia said while Mudavadi may be the more qualified of the two, regional dynamics are likely to trump merit in this decision.

“This is the unfortunate reality of Kenyan politics, where regional affiliations often outweigh competence. As the situation unfolds, one thing remains clear: if Gachagua is impeached, the next Deputy President will most likely hail from the Mt Kenya region, leaving Mudavadi’s political future in a precarious balance.

The die is cast, and the game is set for a fascinating political battle ahead,” he told the Star.

Sasia said the President’s options for a new deputy are further constrained by the important role the Mt Kenya region played in securing his presidency.

As such, Sasia said it is highly likely that Ruto will opt for someone from Mt Kenya, placing Kindiki in a more favorable position than Mudavadi.

Kindiki is also hands-on, business-like, results-oriented, and not a publicity seeker.

DAP-Kenya deputy party leader Ayub Savula said Mudavadi has the task of delivering Western to Ruto in 2027 in order to get his backing.

Sasia said Mudavadi should consolidate the region with the help of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya, who recently joined Ruto’s administration.

“We’re preparing Mudavadi for 2032 and this will make sense if they can deliver Western as a bloc, so they can ask Ruto to return the favor in 2032,” he said.

Savula, who is also Kakamega’s deputy governor, maintained that top leaders from Western need to deliver the Western vote bloc to Ruto in 2027, after uniting under the broad-based government.

Even so, some MPs from Western are pushing for Mudavadi as the next DP, highlighting that he would indisputably be able to deliver the region to Ruto if given the seat.

MPs Christopher Aseka (Khwisero), Titus Khamala (Lurambi), and Peter Nabulindo (Matungu) have been leading a team pushing for a Mudavadi take-over.

“He has served as a vice president, held senior ministerial positions, and was even a deputy prime minister at some point. No other politician in Kenya holds such credentials. Mudavadi should therefore be appointed the next Deputy President,” Nabulindo said.

Khamala said they would happily welcome Mudavadi’s appointment “so that we can work with plans for 2032”.

Political commentator Joseph Mutua said Ruto will easily convince Western to support him in 2027, arguing persuasively that the region holds senior positions in his administration.

Which Way For Mudavadi If Ruto Picks Kindiki As DP