Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and her Murang’a counterpart Irungu Kang’ata are the latest names dropped as the race to succeed embattled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua gathers pace in Mt Kenya.
The first name to be dropped was that of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki who even launched a campaign that saw him endorsed by 48MPs from Mt Kenya but appears to have gone slow as more names were thrown in among them Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.
DP Gachagua is fighting to save his seat and political career that suffered a devastating blow after the National Assembly voted to impeach him by a huge number of 281MPs representing more than 70% of the entire House.
And with the impeachment process now before the final arbiter – The Senate, odds appear heavily against him if the mood displayed at the National Assembly is anything to go by.
This has sparked off a spirited race to succeed him even though there is a huge backlasg against President Ruto in Mt Kenya where residents feel impeaching Gachagua was not a priority and was also a big betrayal on the part of the President.
A section of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) women leaders are now reportedly pushing for Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika as a potential successor to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who is set to appear before the Senate plenary next week as he attempts to fight off impending impeachment.
This comes as a recent opinion poll revealed that 44% of Kenyans believe the Senate will vote to uphold the impeachment.
Some insiders within the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) now suggest that a strategic faction is rallying behind Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and positioning her as a formidable contender for the Deputy seat should Rigathi Gachagua be ousted.
Support for Kihika’s candidacy appears to be gaining momentum as seen in recent efforts by some UDA figures such as former nominated senator and current Interior CAS Millicent Omanga who recently posted a warm photo of Governor Kihika alongside President Ruto smiling warmly during a past visit to Nakuru.
Several other names have also emerged as potential candidates to succeed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua if the impeachment process leads to his removal. They include Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and former Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
