Editor's Review

Geoffrey Ruku has criticised Wycliffe Oparanya over remarks surrounding the Deputy President's position ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has criticised Cooperatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya over remarks surrounding the Deputy President's position ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking on Thursday, July 30, Ruku took direct aim at Oparanya, urging him to concentrate on his Cabinet duties and insisting that no one would remove Kithure Kindiki from the Deputy President's office.

"Oparanya, do your job as a Cabinet Secretary and stop bothering us. Nobody can take away our Deputy President's position," he said.

Ruku also addressed ODM leaders, saying Kindiki's supporters were equally capable of joining the party if it became necessary to safeguard Kindiki's position.

"I want to tell those in ODM that we too can join the party and work to ensure that Kindiki remains William Ruto's deputy," he added.

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File image of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki

This comes days after Ruku announced that Mt Kenya East will support President William Ruto even if Kindiki is not picked as his running mate. 

Speaking on Monday, July 27, Ruku said it is Ruto’s prerogative to choose his running mate for 2027. 

"We will continue supporting President William Ruto even if Kindiki is not picked; it is the prerogative of the Head of State to choose his running mate," he said.

Kindiki, however, said he is supporting Kindiki to be Ruto’s running mate in next year’s election. 

He argued that the DP has performed well as Ruto's assistant and deserves to continue serving as second in command. 

"I support Kithure Kindiki to continue being the Deputy President because he has performed very well as President Ruto's principal assistant.

"He has outperformed himself as Deputy President, and I think he is suited to be the next Deputy President from 2027 to 2032. You don’t fix what is working," he added. 

At the same time, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua called out Ruku over his push to split Mount Kenya into two: East and West

Speaking during a rally in Igembe Central on Monday, July 27, Gachagua claimed that Ruku was under President William Ruto's instructions.

He told the CS that the mountain can never be divided and it will remain united, adding that the region would be under one leader.

"He wants the Meru, Embu and Kikuyu to be divided, but we want to tell him that Mount Kenya is one. It will be under one party and one leader," Gachagua reiterated.