Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu has announced that he will not seek any elective seat in the 2027 General Election after completing his two terms as governor.
Speaking on Thursday during the burial of 100-year-old matriarch Naomi Wambui Gitongo in Kinamba, Laikipia County, Irungu said he is preparing to retire from active politics and serve as an elder and mentor to upcoming leaders in the county.
“I am now preparing to take up the role of an elder since I will not be vying as a governor anywhere in the country. I cannot move from a governor to an MCA or any other lower rank. I can only move from a governor to a president, and as of now, the seat is filled.”
Irungu’s announcement comes as several second-term governors prepare to contest Senate and other elective seats in the 2027 polls.
Irungu was the first governor of Laikipia County, serving from 2013 to 2017 after winning the seat on a TNA ticket.
However, in the 2017 General Election, he was defeated by Nderitu Muriithi, the current KRA chairperson, who contested the seat as an independent candidate.
In the 2022 election, Irungu made a political comeback on a UDA ticket, defeating the then-incumbent Muriithi, who was defending his seat on a PNU ticket.
During the burial, Irungu further said he remains neutral in the country’s politics and is neither supporting nor campaigning against President William Ruto’s re-election.
He said that, having witnessed tribal clashes during past election cycles, he would continue to maintain his political neutrality for the sake of harmonious living and in the spirit of responsible leadership.
He noted that Laikipia borders Baringo, Samburu, Isiolo, Nyeri, Meru, Nakuru and Nyandarua counties, which have residents with diverse political affiliations.
“As a senior leader and an elder in this county, I am conscious that Laikipia is a cosmopolitan county, bordered by counties inhabited by different ethnic communities. In recognition of this diversity, and having witnessed the consequences of ethnic clashes, I have chosen not to take sides on the issue of one-term or two-term politics for the sake of peaceful coexistence among the people of Laikipia,” he said.
The governor also challenged those aspiring to succeed him and others seeking various elective positions to embrace peaceful campaigns, avoid emotional politics and be mindful of their utterances.
He said that despite aspirants aligning themselves with different political ideologies and supporting either the one-term or two-term agenda, they should remain mindful of the county’s past political tensions and remember that Laikipia is a cosmopolitan county.
“Let us respect each other as we go about our politics and, above all, tolerate one another and listen to each other. For those propagating the one-term or two-term agenda, the election day will come and we will all go to the ballot and cast our votes. But what is important is what happens after the exercise.”
“And the truth is, supporters of both political divides should continue living harmoniously and embracing good neighbourliness, just as they did before politics.”
Irungu also called on locals not to be carried away by politics to the extent of breeding hatred among themselves because of their political differences or the politicians they support.
He added that residents have a responsibility to promote peace and harmonious coexistence, particularly among themselves.
