Waiguru declares 2032 presidential bid, eyes Deputy President position in 2027

Waiguru made the announcement on Tuesday while addressing a G7 women’s leadership forum, where she urged women to actively pursue senior political positions instead of waiting for male political leaders to consider them for leadership roles.

“I want to make a declaration today that Anne Mumbi Waiguru will be on the ballot for President of the Republic of Kenya in 2032. Take that to the bank!” she said.

The two-term governor said her presidential ambition was informed by her experience in public service and elected leadership, arguing that her record in government had prepared her to lead the country.

She also framed her ambition as part of a broader push to expand opportunities for women in Kenya’s political leadership, saying she had a responsibility to encourage future generations of female leaders.

“If I do not succeed, another woman will come after me and continue with the journey. We cannot keep moving backwards when we should be moving forward,” she said.

On the 2027 elections, Waiguru called for women to participate in high-level political negotiations, particularly discussions surrounding the Deputy Presidency.

“I want to make it clear that I intend to push for women’s representation at that table, including in the conversation about the Deputy Presidency of the Republic of Kenya,” she said.

She questioned what she described as double standards in the treatment of men and women seeking senior political positions, arguing that female leaders should receive the same consideration as their male counterparts.

Waiguru, who served as Kenya’s first Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning before being elected Kirinyaga governor in 2017, also highlighted the importance of solidarity among women in elective politics.

She became the first woman to chair the Council of Governors, a milestone she attributed partly to the support of other female leaders.

“I could never have become Chairperson of the Council of Governors without the support of my sisters,” she said.

The governor also renewed calls for the implementation of the constitutional two-thirds gender principle, expressing concern that Kenya had yet to achieve the required gender balance in elective and appointive positions, 16 years after the Constitution was promulgated.

“This is not progress. It is a collective failure of will,” she said.

Waiguru challenged women to organise across political divides, build alliances and negotiate for leadership opportunities, saying individual ambition needed to be matched by collective action.

“Let us stand together, support one another and ensure that the next generation inherits a country in which a woman’s ambition is not treated as an exception, but as a legitimate expression of her ability and potential,” she said.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga echoed the call for solidarity, urging women leaders to support one another regardless of their political affiliations.

Wanga also challenged women in leadership to mentor aspiring female candidates and help them overcome the financial and organisational challenges associated with contesting elective positions.

Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau encouraged women considering elective politics to pursue their ambitions with confidence, drawing from her own experience of transitioning from the corporate world into public leadership.

Wanjau reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting women, promoting their safety and addressing the vulnerabilities they face in their activities..