Ruku to ODM: Forget the Deputy President’s Seat as Kindiki ‘Is Going Nowhere’
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has delivered a blunt warning to ODM leaders demanding the Deputy President’s position, declaring that Kithure Kindiki will remain President William Ruto’s number two until 2032.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has told leaders within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to abandon their push for the Deputy President’s position, insisting that there is no vacancy in the office currently occupied by Prof Kithure Kindiki.
Speaking during an interview with Kameme TV on Monday, August 3, 2026, Ruku dismissed growing speculation that ODM could secure the country’s second-highest office as part of a political arrangement with President William Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“ODM should forget the Deputy President position. Kithure Kindiki is going nowhere; he will occupy the position until 2032,” Ruku said.
The remarks are likely to intensify an increasingly public political contest over who will stand beside Ruto should he seek re-election in 2027.
Kindiki assumed the Deputy Presidency in November 2024 following the removal of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and has since emerged as a central figure in discussions about Ruto’s 2027 succession strategy. The Office of the Deputy President currently identifies Kindiki as the holder of the position.
Ruku rejects ODM’s claim to the DP position
Ruku maintained that Kindiki continues to enjoy President Ruto’s confidence and remains an important pillar of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
He dismissed speculation of a possible change at the top of government, arguing that the administration was focused on delivering its development programme rather than negotiating positions ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Cabinet Secretary also defended Ruto’s decision to appoint Kindiki, arguing that the move had political and regional significance and ensured representation of the Mt Kenya region in the country’s top leadership.
Ruku has previously taken a similar position. In April, he declared that the Deputy President’s position was not available for negotiation and warned politicians seeking the office to look elsewhere.
His latest comments therefore put him firmly on the side of those within Kenya Kwanza who want Kindiki retained as Ruto’s running mate.
ODM turns up pressure for the 2027 running-mate slot
The remarks come as ODM intensifies its demands for a direct stake in the presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
ODM leaders have argued that if Ruto seeks another term under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the party should be allowed to nominate the running mate as part of any coalition arrangement.
ODM Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati has been particularly vocal, insisting that the Deputy President’s position should form part of negotiations between the two political formations.
“Kama ni Ruto anaenda urais, deputy ni yetu na tuskizane,” Arati said, arguing that ODM would have to organise itself around the running-mate question.
Arati has also named several senior ODM figures as possible contenders for the position, including former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and other senior party officials.
He has maintained that ODM would only consider giving up the slot under specific circumstances, including a decision by Ruto to seek re-election under the ODM banner or Kindiki leaving UDA and joining ODM.
The position reflects the widening political stakes surrounding the broad-based arrangement between Ruto and ODM, with the two sides increasingly looking beyond their current cooperation towards the 2027 elections.
Recent reports have described ODM’s demand for the Deputy President’s slot as effectively non-negotiable if the party is to support Ruto’s re-election bid.
Junet backs Oparanya for Deputy President
National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed has added another layer to the unfolding contest by openly promoting former Kakamega Governor and former ODM Deputy Party Leader Wycliffe Oparanya for the position.
Speaking at a public event, Junet suggested that ODM was positioning itself to negotiate a government arrangement with Ruto ahead of the 2027 polls.
“If UDA retains the presidency, then ODM will negotiate for the Deputy President’s position,” the Minority Leader’s remarks suggested.
Junet then pointed to Oparanya as a potential candidate, praising his political experience and long association with the ODM movement.
“Na yule mtu ambaye amekomaa, amekuwa na Baba miaka na mikaka, ambaye amekuwa waziri, ambaye amekuwa Deputy Party Leader wetu, ni nani? Anaitwa Wycliffe Oparanya!” Junet said.
The endorsement places Oparanya among the names being floated within ODM as the party seeks to strengthen its negotiating position ahead of 2027.
Kindiki has already declared his position
The ODM demands have been met with an equally firm response from Kindiki himself.
In late July, the Deputy President declared that he would remain Ruto’s running mate in the 2027 General Election and warned politicians seeking the position to abandon their ambitions.
“I will be President William Ruto’s running mate in next year’s General Election. Those salivating for the position should forget it,” Kindiki said.
Kindiki has also signalled his own longer-term presidential ambitions, saying he intends to seek the presidency in 2032.
That has added another dimension to the 2027 debate: while ODM is seeking the Deputy President’s position, Kindiki and his allies are already portraying the office as part of a longer-term political succession plan.
A battle that could shape the 2027 election
The escalating disagreement over the Deputy President’s position highlights the difficult political calculations facing both ODM and UDA.
For ODM, securing the running-mate slot would give the party a direct role in the presidential ticket rather than simply participating in government through Cabinet appointments.
For Ruto and his allies, however, replacing Kindiki could carry significant political consequences, particularly given the Deputy President’s importance in the Mt Kenya region.
A recent TIFA survey reported that Kindiki was the preferred running mate among Ruto supporters, with 59 per cent backing him for the 2027 ticket.
With both camps now publicly staking their claims, the battle over the Deputy President’s seat could become one of the defining issues in negotiations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
For now, Ruku’s message to ODM is unequivocal: the Deputy President’s seat is not on the negotiating table — and Kindiki intends to stay.
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