By KPC Reporter
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has pushed back against calls by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to have the Deputy President position placed on the negotiation table in anticipated coalition talks.
He insisted that the office already has a capable and deserving occupant, Prof. Kithure Kindiki.
Speaking in Chuka, Tharaka Nithi County, during the burial of Mama Priscillah Muratha, Njuki said the seat should be declared off-limits in any political negotiations.
He defended Prof Kindiki, describing him as diligent and loyal in serving both his boss and William Ruto.
“The Deputy President’s seat has an able occupant who has served his boss and the President diligently. There is no tangible reason why he should be targeted,” Njuki said.
The governor further argued that ODM, which he termed as politically fragmented, lacks the numerical strength to make such weighty demands at the negotiating table.
He pointed to the voting bloc in the Mt. Kenya region, warning that sidelining the region’s interests could carry significant political consequences.
Njuki maintained that the position of Deputy President remains non-negotiable, stressing that any coalition framework must respect existing leadership structures.
However, in a sarcastic aside, he remarked that should the demands persist, the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) could “donate” Kindiki to ODM — but only on condition that he retains his position as Deputy President.
The remarks signal early resistance within Kenya Kwanza-leaning ranks to ODM’s reported interest in the country’s second-highest office, even before formal coalition talks begin.
Njuki’s stance further underscores the political sensitivity surrounding the Deputy President slot as realignments and succession calculations ahead of 2027 continue to take shape.
He was reacting to claims that while ODM has no issue with Prof Kindiki as a person, the party was salivating for his position.