Governor Waiguru: DP Ruto should be worried after his narrow win in Kiambaa
Deputy President William Ruto has enough reasons to worry, about his support base in the larger Mt Kenya region, if the results of the Kiambaa by-election is anything to go by, says Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.
While reacting to the outcome of the mini poll in relation to the 2022 presidential elections, the former Devolution Cabinet Secretary said the outcome is a red alert to the DP’s political ambitions because he needs more votes from the region than anyone else.
“There are two warnings that could be extracted for both UDA and Jubilee from these by-elections. For UDA this is probably the best they will do in Central Kenya. That should worry DP Ruto who needs 101% of Mt Kenya support if his candidacy is to convert to the State House,” Governor Waiguru said.
According to the first-term governor, the result also has a significant message to the Jubilee party.
She says the ruling party needs to restrategize going forward given that many of its supporters appear dissatisfied with it.
“For Jubilee, it is that its core supporters are unhappy and urgent action is needed to forestall further downwards slide,” she stated.
At the same time, Governor Waiguru noted that the by-election results cannot be used to determine the outcome of the 2022 General Elections.
She says history has proved that right but again stated that a lot will change by August 2022 given that a year in politics is such a long time.
“In Kenya’s electoral history by-elections in Kenya have always been outliers with little or no relationship with the general election… But it is still a year before the 2022 elections which in politics is a lifetime,” she said.
Her remarks come after the UDA candidate John Njuguna Wanjiku trounced the Jubilee’s Kairiri Njama, albeit with paltry 500 votes.
The flag bearer of UDA clinched the seat with 21,773 votes trouncing Jubilee's who garnered 21,263 votes.
