Hundreds of women from Kirinyaga have called on President William Ruto to reward their support by appointing Governor Anne Waiguru as the next Deputy President.
They endorsed Waiguru as the ideal candidate to assume the role if Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment is successful.
Speaking in Kutus town, the women, including community leaders from all 20 wards, expressed their belief that Kenya is ready for a female Deputy President, and Waiguru would be the perfect choice.
They urged President Ruto to retain the Deputy President’s position within the Mt. Kenya region, this time fulfilling his earlier promise of having a woman as his running mate in the future.
“As residents of the Mountain and Kirinyaga, we fully backed President Ruto in 2022, and we now ask him to repay that support by appointing Waiguru as Deputy President, should the opportunity arise,” said Mary Nyawira.
Nyawira praised Waiguru’s leadership, highlighting her record in transforming Kirinyaga, where she has implemented economic empowerment programs that have positively impacted thousands of households.
“If the opportunity presents itself, we are confident that Governor Waiguru can lead the country to greater prosperity. She has already demonstrated her capability in Kirinyaga, and we believe she can uplift the lives of women and children nationwide,” Nyawira added.
The Kirinyaga women endorsed Governor Anne Waiguru as the ideal candidate for the Deputy President position if Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment succeeds.
They urged President William Ruto to fulfill his promise of having a female running mate and return the DP seat to the Mt. Kenya region, with Waiguru as their preferred choice.
They praised her leadership record, citing her transformative impact in Kirinyaga and national governance experience.
They reminded President Ruto of his earlier commitment to appoint a female running mate in the future, urging him to give the DP position back to the Mt. Kenya region with Waiguru in the role.
“As residents of Kirinyaga and Mount Kenya, we supported President Ruto fully in 2022. Now, we are asking him to return the favor by appointing Waiguru as the Deputy President if the opportunity arises,” said Mary Nyawira.
Nyawira emphasized Waiguru’s proven track record of leadership in Kirinyaga, noting her success in implementing economic empowerment programs that have uplifted thousands of households.
Why Waiguru?
She expressed confidence that Waiguru could replicate this success at the national level, benefiting women and children across the country.
Khadija Wanjiru echoed these sentiments, stressing that Waiguru’s vast experience in economic policy, governance, and development would be critical in helping the president steer the country in the right direction.
She emphasized that, while they did not anticipate the current political situation, they believe Waiguru is the most qualified candidate to step into the Deputy President role if the seat becomes vacant.
“We have a backup plan, which is Governor Anne Waiguru. Her track record speaks for itself, and we are confident in her ability to deliver not just as a woman, but as a capable leader. She is the woman we are presenting to Kenyans,” Wanjiru stated.
The women lauded Waiguru’s achievements, including making Kirinyaga a development benchmark for other counties and her role in advancing President Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Irene Wakio added that women have long desired representation at the top levels of leadership, and Waiguru is the right candidate to fulfill this aspiration.
She reminded the president of his pledge to support gender-balanced leadership, urging him to consider Waiguru for the DP role.
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“Kirinyaga has the best female candidate, and we are appealing to you to take her as your deputy. She is hardworking, has a national vision, and will not let us down,” Wakio said.
With Gachagua’s impeachment process underway, there have been growing calls to replace him with a candidate from the Mt. Kenya region, with intense lobbying from women across the country for a female appointee.
Recently, women’s groups in Murang’a and Nairobi also endorsed Waiguru, praising her as the most suitable candidate with the national experience needed to help lead the country forward.
Waiguru has been receiving endorsements for the DP role even before the impeachment process began. During a recent G7 Strategy meeting in Kirinyaga, over 30 leaders from across the country hailed her as the best-suited candidate to become Deputy President, highlighting her success at both the national and county levels.
Waiguru, a two-term governor and former Cabinet Secretary, is recognized for her transformative role in public service delivery, including initiatives like Huduma Centers and the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) program.
She was also the first woman to chair the Council of Governors and introduced the “Mountain Cities Blueprint 2032,” guiding Kirinyaga’s development agenda.
