President William Ruto has suggested that he will choose a woman as his running mate in the 2027 election.
The Head of State made the comments during the launch of the G7 strategy meeting for the Council of Governors Women of the Council of Governors (COG) in Nairobi on March 7, 2024. The meeting aims to empower women to hold more political positions according to Kenyan laws.
President Ruto’s comments will undoubtedly open a debate about the political position considering that his current Deputy Rigathi Gachagua has qualified to run for a second term in the 2027 elections.
The DP stood against all obstacles, including abandoning his friend former president Uhuru Kenyatta, to support Ruto in the run-up to the 2022 elections. This is in addition to what the second chief explained that he is involved with the previous government, where he was arrested and charged with economic crimes. The charges have been dismissed.
At the same time, the Ruto-Gachagua alliance defeated a coalition that included a woman, that of Raila Odinga and Martha Karua, to seize the presidency. In recent days, there have been reports that Kindiki, Mudavadi and Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro are considered to be President Ruto’s 2027 co-contestants, at the expense of Mr Gachagua.
Kenya has never had a female President or Deputy, with critics arguing that the country lags behind its neighbors in terms of empowering women. Currently Tanzania has Samia Suluhu, a woman, as President while Uganda has Jessica Alupo and Robinah Nabbanja, both women as vice president and Prime Minister respectively.
