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Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Development, Salim Mvurya, has cautioned political leaders from the Coast region against engaging in early debates over who should occupy the Deputy President’s position ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Addressing a consultative meeting of leaders allied to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) from the Coast, Mvurya warned that premature political maneuvering around the running mate position risks diverting attention from governance and creating unnecessary political friction within the ruling coalition.
The Cabinet Secretary emphasized that the selection of a Deputy President remains the exclusive responsibility of the presidential candidate.
He explained that just as a gubernatorial aspirant personally chooses a deputy, a presidential contender equally retains the discretion to nominate a running mate without external political pressure.
“In the case of UDA, the decision ultimately rests with the party leader and President, William Ruto,” Mvurya stated, urging Coast politicians to avoid generating undue expectations among the electorate or subjecting the President to avoidable political lobbying.
He further pointed out that the current administration remains firmly anchored under President Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
According to Mvurya, launching early campaigns around the deputy presidency while the position is already occupied undermines the dignity of the office and reflects poorly on the political class.
Instead, he challenged leaders from the region to concentrate on strengthening political unity and enhancing the Coast’s collective influence ahead of the 2027 electoral contest.
During the same meeting, Danson Mungatana, the Senator for Tana River County, strongly dismissed proposals advocating for political “zoning” within the Coast region.
Mungatana argued that leadership positions, particularly elective seats, should be determined directly by the will of the people through the ballot rather than pre arranged deals negotiated among a limited group of political actors.
He stressed that voters in counties such as Mombasa County, Kilifi County and Tana River must retain their democratic right to freely elect leaders of their choice.
Although zoning arrangements are occasionally floated in political discussions, particularly in places like Nairobi to prevent vote fragmentation, Mungatana maintained that such strategies should not be imposed on the Coast region.
He also underscored the Coast’s electoral significance, observing that with effective voter mobilization and coordinated political strategy, the region could potentially deliver more than four million votes in the 2027 polls.
Leaders present at the meeting also welcomed the strengthening political cooperation between the Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) and UDA, describing the partnership as a significant development that could elevate the region’s political influence at the national level.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, who also addressed the gathering, echoed the call for unity among Coast leaders, stressing that political cohesion would be vital in amplifying the region’s bargaining power in national politics.
Kingi observed that the growing collaboration between PAA and UDA signals a new phase of political alignment in the region that could help consolidate support for the government.
He further encouraged leaders to begin, immediately after the holy month of Ramadan, implementing deliberate grassroots mobilization strategies aimed at rallying the Coast electorate behind President Ruto’s re election campaign in 2027.
