A major political showdown is looming in Laikipia County as veteran MP Mwangi Kiunjuri declares his bid for Governor seat in 2027.
The Laikipia East MP is one of the longest serving lawmakers in the country, having been in the game for close to three decades.
Kiunjuri was first elected to Parliament in 1997 at only 28 years at the time, making him one of the youngest MPs in the history of Kenya.
The Moi University- trained would go on to serve as an MP for 15 years until 2013 when he lost in his bid for Governor to Joshua Irungu of TNA.
After two years in the political cold, in 2015, he was appointed by the then President Uhuru Kenyatta as devolution cabinet secretary. This made him one of the most powerful CSs in Kenya at the time.
In 2017, Kiunjuri never ran for any elective seat. But Uhuru kept him in government as the new agriculture CS.
But he was fired in 2020, paving way for his political comeback in 2022 when he recaptured the Laikipia East MP seat on a TSP party ticket.
And now, the 57-year old former CS has set his eyes on the Governor seat, having hit the ground running in a bid to popularize his bid.
Kiunjuri is most likely going to battle it out with former Laikipia County Women Representative Catherine Waruguru, who is eyeing the Democracy for Citizens Party ticket.
The DCP is led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua while Kiunjuri’s TSP is allied to President William Ruto.
Going forward, the Kiunjuri- Waruguru political showdown is one contest to watch keenly in 2027.