By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, July 11, 2026 - Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki has called on leaders allied to President William Ruto to shelve succession politics and unite behind the President's re-election bid, warning that early campaigns for the 2032 presidential race risk undermining the Kenya Kwanza administration's development agenda.
Speaking on Saturday during the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme at Kaptarkok in Keiyo South, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, where he represented President Ruto, Prof. Kindiki said the government's priority must remain securing a second term for the President in the 2027 General Election.
"I want to ask my brothers and sisters to put aside unimportant matters and consolidate the gains that this administration has brought to our country. Let us unite our efforts to ensure that President William Ruto gets a second term and continues delivering his agenda of transforming Kenya," said the Deputy President.
In remarks widely seen as an attempt to stamp out growing succession talk within Kenya Kwanza, Kindiki urged leaders across the country to abandon premature political campaigns and instead rally behind the government's development record.
"I am calling upon all leaders across this country, from the Coast to Western Kenya, Nyanza, the Rift Valley, Central Kenya, Nairobi, North Eastern and Eastern regions, to stop early campaigns for 2032. We have important work to do first next year. We must consolidate the gains we have achieved under the leadership of President William Ruto and ensure that his agenda of transforming Kenya is not disrupted by a directionless, agenda-less, thoughtless and plan-less opposition," he said.
The Deputy President anchored his appeal on what he described as the administration's achievements since taking office in 2022, citing flagship infrastructure projects including the Talanta Sports City Stadium, the expansion of the Rironi-Mau Summit Highway, the Isiolo-Mandera Highway and the reconstruction of Nithi Bridge.
He also highlighted economic programmes such as the NYOTA youth empowerment initiative, whose second tranche of billions of shillings in grants was released on Friday, alongside the fertiliser subsidy programme, saying the initiatives had boosted employment, agricultural production and household incomes.
"We have witnessed the transformation of Kenya under the leadership of President William Ruto over the last four years. We have seen projects that many people never imagined could be achieved in this country become a reality," Kindiki said.
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The Deputy President also linked the government's re-election campaign to its environmental conservation agenda, saying the administration remained committed to planting 15 billion trees by 2032 and restoring degraded forests across the country.
"We want to ensure that we have a good environment that provides water security and food security for the benefit of our nation. Already, we have planted 1.7 billion trees, and we want to accelerate this programme so that we achieve the target of 15 billion trees by 2032," he said.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen praised Kindiki for helping steady the administration and keeping government programmes on course.
"Since you became Deputy President, we have seen amazing development across the country because you have stabilised the President's agenda," Murkomen said, urging leaders to back the government's environmental conservation drive.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa said the ministry remained on course to meet the national tree-planting target, urging Kenyans to take advantage of the upcoming rainy season to plant more trees.
National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo, patron of the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme, said the initiative would be expanded to restore more degraded forest land following what he described as a successful conservation effort over the past decade.