Kiunjuri: Why I turned down Ruto’s running-mate offer

By Wanderi Kamau

Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri has opened up about the behind-the-scenes discussions that led him to reject President William Ruto’s offer to be his running mate ahead of the 2022 general elections.

In a candid interview aired on Wednesday, June 4, on Inooro TV, Kiunjuri disclosed that the offer was made during a high-level political meeting in February 2022, where Ruto—then Deputy President—demanded that he dissolve his party, The Service Party (TSP), and join the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

“President William Ruto (then Deputy President) asked me to be his running mate but I refused. Rigathi was there. Khalwale stood up and said that he had left Ford-Kenya, and so, I, too, had to leave The Service Party (TSP). Hassan and Muthama said they had left Wiper and joined UDA. Nanok said he had left ODM. They asked me what was special with TSP. I gave them my reasons,” Kiunjuri recounted.

The meeting was attended by prominent politicians who were part of Ruto’s inner political circle at the time, including current Gachagua, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, former governors Salim Mvurya (Kwale) and Josephat Nanok (Turkana); senior UDA figures such as Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar Hassan, and former UDA chairperson Johnson Muthama.

During the discussions, Kiunjuri insisted on preserving the independence of his party, citing lessons from Ruto’s own experience under the Jubilee Party led by then-President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“I told them that if I had to become the Deputy President (running mate), they had to allow me to remain in TSP,” he said. “I can’t agree to become your deputy in your party (UDA), because I saw what you underwent in Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee,” he said.

Kiunjuri also reminded Ruto of their earlier political discussions, where he had warned him against dissolving his former party, the United Republican Party (URP), to join Jubilee.

“Kiunjuri to Ruto: “I had told you not to fold the URP party because you would encounter problems in Jubilee. You also convinced my former party, GNU,’” he said, referencing the Grand National Union (GNU), which Kiunjuri had led before joining the Jubilee coalition.

The Laikipia East MP revealed that his desire to retain TSP was rooted in political principle and caution against centralised control. He said the request to merge into UDA did not align with his vision for inclusive and diversified political representation, especially for the Mt Kenya region.

Disputing Gachagua’s claims

In the same interview, Kiunjuri strongly disputed recent claims by Gachagua that TSP is a proxy for Ruto in a broader strategy to fragment Mt Kenya’s political unity ahead of the 2027 elections.

Gachagua has recently accused President Ruto of quietly promoting the emergence of smaller political outfits in the region to weaken collective bargaining power.

Apart from TSP, Gachagua has linked Ruto to other parties such as the Tujibebe Wakenya Party, led by former Kiambu Governor and current ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo, and Chama Cha Kazi (CCK), headed by Ruto’s senior economic advisor, Moses Kuria.

But Kiunjuri dismissed Gachagua’s allegations, insisting that TSP operates independently and is not being sponsored or manipulated by State House or any other political interests.

“Let us not politicise and create fear where there is none,” Kiunjuri said. “We must respect the rights of leaders to form and operate their own parties, as long as they adhere to the law.”

Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri (left) with President William Ruto at a past function. Photo/Handout

He added that the creation of political parties should not be viewed as a threat, but rather as a strength in a functioning democracy. According to Kiunjuri, the proliferation of parties allows different communities and ideologies to find appropriate political expression.

The Laikipia East legislator further argued that his political stand remains rooted in advocating for the needs of his constituents and that he will continue to chart an independent course, guided by integrity and principle.

Rising tensions in Mt Kenya

The revelations by Kiunjuri come amid growing tensions within the Mt Kenya political landscape, where fractures are beginning to emerge ahead of the 2027 elections.

The rivalry between Gachagua and other Mt Kenya leaders has intensified, with the former DP positioning himself as the region’s political kingpin.

Kiunjuri, however, has warned against what he termed “political intimidation,” urging leaders to embrace inclusivity and stop labelling others as disloyal simply because they hold a different view.

“Leadership is about inclusion, not exclusion. If we start branding others just because they think differently, then we are not building a healthy democracy,” he said.