Stephen Musungu
A high-ranking member of the coalition backing President William Ruto has suggested the removal of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki from the top tier of the government while indirectly calling Vice President Rigathi Gachagua “a politician who does not know the times,” and at the same time creating a situation that is very disruptive within the ruling coalition ahead of the 2027 elections. The blunt and bold assertions of Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen have caused a stir among the ruling class and speculations about the existence of cracks within their camp.
Delivering his comments as a public address, Kuria opened fire on Gachagua, labeling him as a politician who does not know and respect the coalition dynamics and who is responsible for the acrimonious relations among the principal players. Kuria specifically pointed out that the leaders must be cognizant of the general sentiment and the power alignments, which is a reference that is very probably aimed at Gachagua and his influence over the negotiations and the unity of the parties in the alliance.
Kuria made a prophetic statement when he said, “There will always be kinds of leaders who will be able to sense the situation and act in such a way that not only will the public and coalition interests not be frustrated, but they will even go beyond that.” He was pointing to the fact that as the nation approaches the next big election, the use of tactics will become even more critical, and he will be very much involved in it as he has been during the previous elections, though he was not clear about the time frame. Gutierrez opened the door to Kindiki, the actual Deputy President, not being a part of the presidential ticket if the required wider agreement is not laid first.
Political analysts opine that Kuria’s position is increasingly more and more that of senior officials who are already somewhat nervous and want to take precautions in case the ruling coalition gets divided and thus loses electoral support in 2027. The politically savvy, former Cabinet Secretary, and seasoned politician has been at the heart of Ruto’s administration, but the recent unfolding of succession plans, strategic partnerships, and leadership roles has made a question of his stature in the government.
Kuria’s criticism of Gachagua, whom he called “insensitive,” was directed mainly at the manner in which the ruling coalition is divided up. Gachagua, a former parliamentarian and political giant, has mostly kept his mouth shut regarding the internal speculations of alignment, and his public-focused remarks have been mainly about the government’s achievements and national priorities.
The opposition leaders have used the public differences as a reason for their stance, claiming that the story being told is of deep cuts rather than rich talks. They argue that the people should be told who their leaders are, as the coalition fights distract from the national issues like economic stability, unemployment, and security, which are the pressing ones.
The more the political quarrels are, the more the speculation surrounding people like Kindiki will be, with party delegates, grass-root leaders, and political strategists inquiring in. Kuria’s comments offered a warning and also criticism—they might indicate that the 2027 elections are still far off, but already the rivalry among the different leaders is becoming intense, and hence, therefore, more confrontations or negotiations might take place behind the scenes.
Wamuzi News Ke
