Waruguru moves to challenge Kiunjuri in Laikipia 2027 governor race
Former Laikipia Woman Representative Cate Waruguru has stepped up her campaign for the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) gubernatorial ticket, seeking to turn Laikipia East into a key base in her bid for the county’s top seat in the 2027 General Election. Waruguru, who hails from Laikipia East, is urging residents to turn out in […]
Laikipia’s Cate Waruguru is campaigning for the DCP gubernatorial ticket, aiming to make Laikipia East a key stronghold in her quest for the county’s top position in the 2027 General Election. As a resident of Laikipia East, Waruguru is urging citizens to participate in the DCP nominations, emphasizing the importance of numbers in the political landscape.
Speaking in Nanyuki on August 31, 2026, she warned that the nominations would be a critical test of her political influence, urging voters to support her based on merit instead of sympathy. "Sitaki kura ya huruma. Nataka kwa mapambano, kwa sababu siasa is about numbers," she stated. Waruguru is up against seasoned politicians like Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri, who plans to run for governor in 2027 after serving as an MP, and former Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, who is also vying for the position.
IEBC records from 2022 show Laikipia had 263,012 registered voters, with Joshua Irungu winning the governorship with 113,783 votes and Muriithi with 48,563 votes. Together, Irungu and Muriithi secured 162,346 votes, leaving 100,666 registered voters unaccounted for. This remaining 100,666 should not be solely viewed as people who did not vote; it includes ballots for other candidates and registered voters who did not vote validly.
This statistic highlights the challenge Waruguru faces. If Irungu's 113,783 votes were equally distributed among Waruguru, Kiunjuri, and Muriithi in 2027, each would receive roughly 37,928 votes from that pool alone. Therefore, Waruguru would need to secure a significant number of additional votes from beyond that pool to have a strong chance of winning.
The outcome of the race could ultimately depend on how the former Irungu and Muriithi supporters, as well as undecided voters, distribute their votes among the three candidates. Hence, Waruguru's campaign strategy centers on numbers, mobilization, and converting Laikipia East's support into a broad-based coalition across the county.
Written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
