Kindiki digs in to fend off rivals eyeing his job
Kenyan Deputy President Kithure Kindiki is actively working to consolidate his political base in the Mt Kenya East region to secure his position for the 2027 election. He faces internal party pressure and competition from opposition figures eyeing the deputy slot.
Why it matters
The political maneuvering reflects the high-stakes coalition building and regional power struggles defining the lead-up to the next Kenyan general election.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki addresses a rally in Meru on August 22, 2026
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki is going flat out to lock down his Mt Kenya East backyard, in what appears to be his best strategy for retaining his job in 2027.
Mt Kenya West, largely dominated by the Kikuyu, has rebelled against the ruling UDA party, weakening Kindiki’s political profile and influence in the wider Mt Kenya region.
The DP has since camped at home, scouring through Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi, especially after the Ol Kalou by-election was decisively won by Rigathi Gachagua’s party.
On Friday, Kindiki held a grassroots leaders’ event in Manyatta constituency, Embu county, sustaining his push to consolidate the region.
Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi had a combined 1.34 million registered voters in the 2022 general election—772,139 in Meru, 334,302 in Embu and 231,932 in Tharaka Nithi.
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