Ruto CS Hints at Challenging Irungu Kang’ata in 2027
Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has given the strongest indication yet that she may contest the Murang’a gubernatorial seat in the 2027 general election.
Speaking at a Thanksgiving Service at Gaichanjiru Catholic Parish on Sunday, an event also attended by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, she told congregants that the time had come for a woman to lead the county. Her remarks immediately sparked speculation about a potential challenge to the incumbent administration.
“Once 2027 comes, there will be so many elective seats available that my comrades and I will be willing to go for. This time round, the Governor of Murang’a County must be a woman; it is high time,” Wahome declared. She added that all seats would be vacant and noted that Sabina Chege had also entered the race, while playfully asking supporters whether they wanted her to aim for an even higher national position. The comments left little doubt about her growing interest in local leadership.
Should she formalise her candidacy, Wahome would face sitting Governor Irungu Kang’ata, who has already confirmed he will defend the seat under the Democracy for Citizens Party. The lands secretary previously represented Kandara Constituency in the National Assembly between 2013 and 2017 and has urged her supporters to stand firmly behind her once she makes an official declaration. The race is expected to intensify following the recent withdrawal of former Kigumo Member of Parliament Jamleck Kamau, who has shifted focus to national opposition politics and now chairs the Wiper Party.
Unseating Kang’ata will not be straightforward. The governor was ranked the best-performing county leader in the country’s latest Infotrak CountyTrak Performance Index, securing an impressive eighty per cent approval rating. The survey measured public fund management, delivery of campaign promises, transparency and project implementation, areas in which Murang’a recorded solid results. Wahome’s entry would therefore set up a high-stakes contest between an experienced national figure and a highly rated incumbent.
Her possible bid also fits a wider pattern among Cabinet Secretaries preparing for elective politics. Several colleagues are eyeing returns to county leadership or other positions, signalling that the 2027 contests will feature prominent names from the current administration. For now, Wahome’s carefully worded remarks have placed Murang’a politics firmly in the spotlight and raised expectations of a competitive race once formal campaigns begin.
