Waiguru Claims 35 Counties Back Ruto, Warns Mt Kenya Against Leaving Government Ahead of 2027

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has challenged opposition leaders to prove they can unite ahead of the 2027 General Election, arguing that their alleged divisions could give President William Ruto an advantage in the race for a second term.

Speaking to leaders in Mwea, Waiguru expressed confidence in Ruto’s re-election prospects and urged residents of the Mount Kenya region to reconsider calls to distance themselves from the Kenya Kwanza administration.

The governor questioned whether opposition politicians who have struggled to cooperate in county-level contests could successfully coordinate their interests in a presidential election.

According to Waiguru, the difficulties experienced by rival political leaders in working together at the grassroots level raise doubts about their ability to form a strong national coalition capable of challenging Ruto.

“You don’t need science or to be a science expert to know that they (opposition) will not unite,” she said.

She further questioned whether leaders who fail to agree on gubernatorial contests would manage to put aside their differences when pursuing the country’s highest political office.

Waiguru argued that discussions about opposition unity would not necessarily translate into a lasting political alliance, maintaining that divisions among rival leaders could weaken their chances in the next election.

Her remarks come as politicians position themselves ahead of the 2027 polls, with coalition-building and regional political loyalties expected to play significant roles in the contest.

The governor also issued a warning to the Mount Kenya region, arguing that abandoning the government could reduce the community’s influence in national leadership for years to come.

“For the next 30 years, there will be no Kikuyu in leadership. I can tell you without fear or favour the opposition is not going to win,” Waiguru said.

She urged residents to consider the possible consequences of shifting their political allegiance, suggesting that remaining within the government could help the region preserve its influence in national decision-making.

Waiguru also presented her assessment of the country’s political landscape, claiming that 35 of Kenya’s 47 counties were aligned with Ruto.

She said she had instructed her team to examine the distribution of political support across the country before reaching that conclusion.

“I asked my people to take a pen and paper, and out of 47 counties, 35 are with William Ruto,” she asserted.

However, the governor acknowledged that political support in some areas was more complicated than a simple county-by-county classification would suggest.

She excluded Ukambani and Mount Kenya from her assessment, while noting that Nakuru County had significant political differences between its communities. She also described Nairobi as politically mixed.

“Don’t count Nakuru as a whole; half is Rift Valley. Nairobi is mixed,” she added.

Waiguru challenged residents to examine presidential election results when assessing the distribution of political support across the country.

“Even when you see the presidential polls, can’t you see the numbers?” she posed.

Her argument was that the opposition would face a difficult task if it failed to consolidate support across different regions before the election.

Nevertheless, her figure of 35 counties represents her own political assessment, rather than independently verified evidence that all those counties uniformly support Ruto. Political preferences can vary considerably within counties and change as campaigns develop.

Waiguru maintained that Mount Kenya should not abandon the Kenya Kwanza government for an opposition whose ability to unite she doubts.

Her comments add to the growing political debate over regional alliances, the strength of the opposition and the strategies leaders are adopting as Kenya moves towards the 2027 General Election.