Kindiki navigates jinxed DP slot as running mate debate emerges

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki in Njoro Sub County on August 1, 2025, during an empowerment event. Despite saying it was not time to campaign, Kindiki has continued to campaign for Kenya Kwanza government. [Daniel Chege/Standard] Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has been in office less than an year but he is already feeling the heat and treading on the beaten path his predecessors have followed. That Kindiki can no longer rest easy became evident during the joint parliamentary group meeting for United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) on Monday. Leader of Majority in Parliament, Kimani Ichung'wa cast aspersions about Kindiki's eligibility for consideration for a running mate in 2027 elections. He publicly warned Kindiki to "speak well" to secure his place in 2027. "Before I invite the DP we know whether ni fire si fire ni noma si noma, we want to hear whether the DP when he says ni fire si fire, whether he can earn himself a second term as usual depending on what he says and how he engages with this house,'' Ichungwah said. There has been murmurs of Kindiki's subtle isolation in functions where his role seems to have been usurped by ODM party leader, Raila Odinga. In Kenya's turbulent political history, every major rapprochement between Raila and the government realignment has come at the deputy's expense. The pattern dates back to 1997 when Raila abandoned opposition to merge with Kanu and ended up displacing party loyalists such as then Vice President George Saitoti. The same scenario played out in 2007 after the presidential poll was disputed triggering chaos that ultimately forced President Mwai Kibaki to agree to a Government of National Unity. The Prime minister's slot occupied by Raila, displaced Kalonzo Musyoka who had been picked by Kibaki as his Vice President. History repeated itself in 2018 when President Uhuru Kenyatta shook hands with Raila, which sidelined then Deputy President William Ruto. The strange friendship between a siting president and the opposition leader climaxed with Uhuru backing Raila for president in 2022 at the expense of his deputy, Ruto. And in march 2023 when Raila joined forces with Ruto and was ultimately picked as the government's candidate for the Africa Union Commission Chair, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagu sulked and was finally impeached in November 2024. Now Raila has five members in the Cabinet while Gachagua is in opposition politics. Prof Machariia Munene, a historian and university lecturer says: "The period is dominated by Raila and when Raila wants something usually the sacrifice is the VP or DP and that has been the case since." Recalling Raila's disruption of Kalonzo's vice presidency, Munene observes: "The two tried to fight who is who and Raila always claims he has to be consulted but Kalonzo didn't raise any issue." Now, DP Kindiki sits where his predecessors once did: on borrowed time. His position, already weakened by Gachagua's dramatic ouster, is being tested by shifting alliances. Raila has declared that ODM will work with Ruto beyond 2027, signaling that deeper concessions may be in play. "Kindiki is not secure in that position. He is working hard to please President Ruto since the huge exodus. The more Raila is accommodated the more insecure Kindiki is,'' Prof Macharia added. Among the most valuable bargaining chips is the deputy presidency itself. ODM's grassroots mobilisation and Raila's ability to sway regions historically hostile to Ruto could prove indispensable in the next election. But if history is anything to go by, that support may come at a cost and Kindiki's seat could be the price. The DP seems to sense the danger. Recently, he has drummed up support for the ODM-UDA cooperation, a show of loyalty aimed at securing his survival. Yet in Kenya's unforgiving succession politics, loyalty has rarely been enough to save a deputy once new coalitions emerge. Now Kindiki's every word and every move will be under the microscope.

Kindiki navigates jinxed DP slot as running mate debate emerges

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Kindiki navigates jinxed DP slot as running mate debate emerges

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