Anne Waiguru for Deputy President?
Anne Waiguru has emerged as a contender to be the country’s first woman Deputy President.
Waiguru, a first-term Kirinyaga governor, was on Tuesday endorsed by senator Millicent Omanga as Deputy President William Ruto ahead of the August 2022 polls.
Omanga, a close confidant of Ruto, made the suggestion on her socials, complete with a photo of Ruto and Waiguru.
We're breaking the glass ceiling in this election. The first female deputy president loading…..! pic.twitter.com/BuVe5qrmT7
— Millicent Omanga (@MillicentOmanga) April 12, 2022
Waiguru, formerly a political ally of President Uhuru Kenyatta, has emerged as a crucial cog in Ruto’s presidential bid.
She has also accompanied the DP to important assignments, including a meeting with Liberia vice-president Jewell Taylor.
Since her surprise move to join Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) political outfit in 2021, Waiguru has stressed the importance of Ruto picking a woman running mate from the Mount Kenya region.
“I hope Ruto will pick his running mate from Mount Kenya region because the area has a high number of votes that will propel him to the presidency,” she said in January.
“I think it would be a great honour to be picked as UDA running mate, but right now all my efforts are focused on defending the gubernatorial seat.”
Waiguru joins a list of senior politicians who’ve been linked with the Deputy President’s role under a possible Ruto presidency.
Others are MPs Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), and Alice Wahome (Kandara), National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, Tharaka Nithi Senator Kindiki Kithure, Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi, among others.