Tharaka-Nithi Senator Prof Kithure Kindiki has now responded to concerns about his earlier interest in the 2022 presidential race as William Ruto’s running mate.
Just after the 2017 general election, Prof. Kindiki revealed that there were advanced talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy, with a possibility of Ruto picking him as a sure running-mate by the end of 2017.
Speaking during the swearing in ceremony of Tharaka-Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki in 2017, Senator Kindiki claimed he would be endorsed as Ruto’s running mate at a ceremony that was to be held in his home village of Mukothima.
“On December 9, 2017, Kenya will be addressed from Mukothima village and this is when we will officially start the journey to State House with DP Ruto,” said the Senator.
Kindiki exuded confidence that the Mukothima event would be attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta, DP Ruto, Jubilee Senators, Governors, MPs and hundreds of MCAs from across the country.
KINDIKI-RUTO TICKET
“My friend Uhuru Kenyatta has already agreed to hand over the country’s leadership to us and for the first time, Tharaka community and Mount Kenya East at large will host the second powerful office in the republic,” he said way back in 2017.
“As I said during my campaign trail, I will not come to you again seeking local leadership in Tharaka Nithi. With your blessings, I am now headed to Nairobi to fight for the State House together with DP Ruto,” Kindiki said.
Things would however take a bitter path a few months after the repeat of the 2017 general elections.
In addition to DP Ruto being pushed out of government by ODM leader Raila Odinga, the eloquent professor of law was ousted from the Senate Deputy Speaker’s seat in a charade of infights within the ruling Jubilee Party.
2022 AND BEYOND
In an interview with a vernacular Radio station on Monday, Senator Kindiki now says the Statehouse dream is still valid, though deferred due to the ‘Jubilee betrayal.’
“I would like to thank all my friends for believing in me. I made a deliberate decision to withdraw and re-strategize. It is my belief that the Meru and Tharaka Nithi people will soon produce a President for this nation,” says Senator Kindiki.
Kindiki now says that he will make a declaration that will define his political future at a meeting to be held on 19th February at Kathwana.
The former Senate Deputy Speaker has however hinted at retreating from politics and shelving his Gubernatorial ambitions in favor of Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, who has expressed his willingness to join DP Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the August polls, though with unmentioned conditions.
Just like Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru, Governor Muthomi Njuki has severally said that he has been listening to the ground in order to know which direction the voters in Tharaka Nithi want him to take.
“I have scrutinized all the Presidential aspirants and I have made a decision already. Go and tell your friend William Ruto that I’m ready for marriage but there must be courtship and negotiations,” Governor Njuki told MP Kareke Mbiuki, a close ally of the Deputy President.
Could Prof. Kindiki be considering marshalling his support behind Governor Njuki’s candidature, in efforts to secure the much coveted Mt Kenya East vote for DP Ruto?
“I do not want to preempt the declaration, but I will be making a major announcement on 19th February at Kathwana. Even if my name does not appear on the ballot this year, my ambition to occupy Statehouse still remains undeterred,” says Senator Kindiki.
Meru Daily News is your one-stop trusted source for the latest News updates from Meru County, Tharaka Nithi and the larger Mt. Kenya region. Follow our Social Media Pages for real-time News Bytes.
