President William Ruto’s 2027 re-election bid is facing fresh political pressure from Western Kenya after Members of Parliament from the region presented a tough list of demands with the Deputy President’s position emerging as their biggest bargaining chip.
The lawmakers, meeting under the Western Parliamentary Group Caucus, declared their support for Ruto’s second-term bid but insisted that Western Kenya must be rewarded with a greater share of political power in the next government.Their biggest demand is clear, the Deputy President’s position must come to Western Kenya.
“As the Western community, we demand the seat of the Deputy President to deputise His Excellency President William Samoei Ruto in the next General Election,” the lawmakers declared in their joint statement.
The MPs also want Western Kenya to retain its representation in the Parliamentary Service Commission, currently associated with the region, while demanding the completion of stalled government projects.Western Parliamentary Group Caucus chairman and Sirisia MP John Waluke said the region was speaking with one voice and was determined to consolidate its political strength ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The Mulembe community is united, and as you see us here, we are speaking for the people and the community,” Waluke said.
He added that leaders from the region were ready to mobilise voters and ensure President Ruto receives massive support from Western Kenya.
“We are united, and we are going to make sure that President William Ruto is going to win. We are pushing for the win,” Waluke declared.
But the caucus chairman also made it clear that the MPs expect President Ruto to respond to their demands.
“We know that the President will respond to them. That is what I know as the chairman. In the caucus, we will sit again and look into it,” Waluke said when asked about the way forward.
Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali is among the Western Kenya legislators expected to play a key role in the region’s political mobilisation as the caucus seeks to unite MPs and other leaders behind a common regional agenda.
The lawmakers are also demanding urgent government intervention in the struggling sugar sector, which remains a major source of income for thousands of families across Western Kenya.They have further called for the completion of stalled development projects, expanded electricity connectivity and an end to persistent power outages affecting parts of the region.
Education funding has also emerged as a major concern, with the MPs urging the government to address the crisis affecting university students, particularly those from poor families.The caucus also rejected the proposed Crops Laws Amendment Bill, arguing that the legislation could negatively affect farmers and the agricultural economy.Waluke said Western Kenya’s political strategy goes beyond the 2027 elections, revealing that the region is already positioning itself for an even bigger prize.
“We are preparing as a region to succeed President William Ruto after 2032,” Waluke said.
The MPs are now expected to intensify voter registration and mobilisation campaigns across the region as they seek to strengthen Western Kenya’s bargaining power.For President Ruto, the message from Western Kenya is loud and politically significant: the region is ready to campaign for him in 2027 but its leaders want power, development and a guaranteed seat at the highest table of government.