Despite President Uhuru's calls for leaders to shelve the 2022 debate, some mount Kenyan leaders are already at work in identifying the next area political kingpin.
A group of opinion shapers, including leaders of the church and the business class, now want the region to focus on its next kingpin, ahead of Uhuru's looming retirement.
Led by Bishop Johanna Ndirangu, the group has identified former Cooperative Development Minister and Gachoka MP Joe Nyagah as the best person to take over from Uhuru.
“Nyaga has experience having been a minister and an MP for many years. We feel he is the best suited person to take over as the region’s kingpin," Mr Ndirangu was quoted by the Standard on Saturday.
The leaders who were speaking in Kiambu urged the former presidential candidate to join active politics, saying that he is the most spotless on matters corruption.
"We need a person who is not tainted and who has the interest of the people at heart as the regions next kingpin. Mr Nyaga is the best bet for that position," said Reverend Michael Githinji of the Full Gospel Churches.
Karatina businessman Henry Karanja termed him the best uniting factor for the currently divided region, apparently referring to the Uhuru and Deputy President William Ruto factions.
"The region needs to go to the 2022 elections as united if it wants to be part and parcel of the next government. Currently the leaders in the region are sharply divided which is not a good thing for the people” he said.
Since his defeat in the 2017 presidential contest, Nyagah, a former ally of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been largely silent on matters politics, including the succession issue.
However, the proposal comes only mintsh after Uhuru bashed people readying themselves to succeed or make others to succeed him, saying that his choice of a successor will shock them.