Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has declared her intention to run for President in 2032, while signaling her determination to deputise President William Ruto in 2027 General Election.
She said her presidential ambition was grounded in her years of public service, ability to mobilise support and a commitment to breaking barriers for future generations of women leaders.
Waiguru who made the announcement on Tuesday while addressing a G7 women’s leadership forum, said women must be included in the high-level political table.
She urged women to fight for their space in leadership and should not sit back and wait to be considered by other political leaders for positions.
“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 declared.
She said that she had the conviction that she was capable of leading the country owing to her experience and outstanding performance as she served in different capacities over many years, both in government and in elected leadership.
Then two term Governor also said that she owed it to the women of Kenya.
“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 noted.
On the 2027 elections, the governor called for women to be included in high-level political negotiations, noting that women should assert their interest in the Deputy Presidency rather than wait to be considered by political leaders.
“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.
Waiguru questioned the double standards she said women face when pursuing senior political office, arguing that their ambitions should be accorded the same consideration as those of men.
Drawing on her own political journey, she urged women leaders to support one another and help more women join elective politics. Waiguru served as Kenya’s first Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning, was elected governor in 2017 and became the first woman to chair the Council of Governors.
“I could never have become Chairperson of the Council of Governors without the support of my sisters,” she said.
She also renewed calls for the full implementation of the constitutional two-thirds gender principle, expressing concern that, 16 years after the promulgation of the Constitution, the country was still debating how to achieve the required gender balance in elective and appointive positions.
“This is not progress. It is a collective failure of will,” she said.
The Kirinyaga governor challenged women to organize, strategize and negotiate across political divides to secure leadership opportunities, saying meaningful progress would require both individual ambition and 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. She challenged them to invest more in mentoring aspiring candidates and helping them navigate the financial and organizational challenges associated with elective politics.
Secretary to the Cabinet Dr. Mercy Wanjau also encouraged women considering elective office to pursue their ambitions with confidence.
Drawing from her own experience, she spoke of initially questioning whether she could transition from the corporate world into political leadership.
Wanjau reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting women, promoting their safety in their various activities and addressing the vulnerabilities they face.
