Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has urged voters to shun emotional politics ahead of the 2027 election and instead scrutinise the leaders seeking their support.
Speaking during a Joyful Women Organisation empowerment forum hosted by First Lady Rachel Ruto in Kirinyaga on Thursday, Waiguru challenged voters to critically examine leaders seeking their support and make decisions based on what is best for the country.
“We must wake up and ask ourselves very fundamental questions. In politics, no one is perfect. Let us stop acting out of emotions and instead ask ourselves the fundamental questions,” she said.
Waiguru also declared that Kirinyaga remained firmly aligned with President William Ruto’s administration, maintaining that residents had listened to the President’s agenda and would continue supporting his leadership.
“I had taken a six–week [break] off politics that’s why I’ve been silent but I am firmly in government supporting President Ruto for two terms,” she said.
She maintained that the political choices facing Kenyans require both leaders and voters to look beyond personalities and emotions and focus on issues that would shape the country’s future.
Her remarks came against the backdrop of growing political realignments, with parties and leaders positioning themselves for the presidential contest.
The county boss also pointed to divisions within the opposition, noting that the bloc already has seven presidential aspirants who may struggle to agree on a single candidate.
She added that she had spent time listening to the concerns and aspirations of Kirinyaga residents, suggesting that the county’s political position was informed by the views and interests of its people.
The governor’s position was backed by local leaders at the forum, who openly endorsed Ruto’s reelection bid while rallying behind Waiguru’s leadership.
Kirinyaga Central MP Gachoki Gitari pledged the county’s support for the President, citing what he described as positive interventions by Ruto that had benefited residents and traders.
Gitari thanked the President for reducing the cost of importing goods for small traders through consolidation, arguing that the move had restored dignity to traders, many of whom come from the Mt Kenya region and depend on small-scale businesses for their livelihoods.
He said that such interventions demonstrated the importance of government policies that respond directly to the economic realities facing ordinary citizens, arguing that the region should reciprocate by backing Ruto’s bid for a second term.
“We will repay the President by supporting him in 2027,” Gitari said.
The MP also urged the President to honour his commitment to establish a Kenya Medical Training College campus at Kianyaga, arguing that the project would expand access to medical training and create opportunities for young people in the region.
Gitari further threw his weight behind Waiguru in the emerging debate over Ruto’s choice of a running mate in 2027, arguing that she was the most qualified woman to deputise the President if he honours his commitment to select a woman as his deputy.
He cited Waiguru’s experience in both national and county leadership, as well as her development record in Kirinyaga, as factors that placed her in a strong position for consideration.
“The President promised that in 2027, he will choose a female running mate and Governor Anne Waiguru is the most qualified woman to deputise him,” Gitari said.
The endorsement places Waiguru at the centre of the emerging conversation over the possibility of a woman serving as Ruto’s running mate, even as political realignments continue to take shape.
Gitari, however, cautioned that the focus on women’s empowerment should be matched by greater efforts to uplift men, arguing that economic empowerment should benefit all sections of society.
Speaker Muteti Murimi similarly backed the President, declaring that Kirinyaga had a debt to repay to the President and would stand with him in 2027.
Karumandi MCA Caroline Wanjiku, the only elected woman ward representative in Kirinyaga, also urged residents to make political choices without being driven by emotions.
“Let us put emotions aside and elect proper leaders,” she said.
Waiguru used her administration’s record in supporting women and other vulnerable groups to underscore the importance of leadership that delivers tangible results.
