Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata has issued a condition on which Mt Kenya voters will support Deputy President William Ruto’s presidential bid in 2022.
Kang’ata stated that DP Ruto has to pick someone from Central Kenya as his running mate if the region is to rally behind him.
The Senator said the region has over eight million voters and thus cannot be kept in the dark in the name of supporting another candidate for the presidency.
“We (Mt Kenya) have to be at the centre of power owing to the fact that we have over eight million voters,” Senator Kang’ata said during an interview on Citizen TV on Tuesday.
The Jubilee Senator said that the Mt Kenya region is ready to support Ruto in 2022 as long as the region’s interests are catered for.
“We are ready to support him (DP Ruto) but our interests must be well-taken care of,” he added.
A section of Mt Kenya politicians has stated publicly that they don’t owe Ruto a political debt.
Last week, Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi was quoted saying that the region will not be pressured to support DP Ruto in 2022.
He stated that the region has a right to field its own presidential candidate in the next general election.
This comes amid the ongoing debate on Uhuru's 2022 plan, with a section of politicians arguing that the Head of State is too young to retire.
Uhuru, however, has rubbished the reports, stating that he has no intention of extending his term in office.
In an interview with CNN, Uhuru said that he is not interested in serving beyond 2022.
“I am not interested. Even if such an offer comes, I will not take it," Uhuru told Richard Quest.