The race to succeed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who is facing an imminent ouster by Parliament, has narrowed down to two bigwigs, State House insiders say.
President William Ruto is said to be considering either appointing Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru or Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki should the Senate send Gachagua packing on Thursday.
Waiguru, a former CS for Devolution, is said to be a favourite as the President looks to appease Central Kenya, the backyard of impeached Gachagua.
Ruto had also previously hinted at fielding a female running mate in 2027.
However, Kindiki, a close Ruto confidant, also stands a chance as he has the backing of most Mt Kenya leaders. The lobbying for Gachagua’s job has been fierce.
Some women leaders are lobbying for Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika.
So who are these two leaders who could soon be Kenya’s second most powerful person? Anne Waiguru Waiguru is the former chairperson of the Council of Governors.
She is a woman of many firsts and boasts of enormous experience in public service.
The 53-year-old county chief is celebrated for transforming the public service during her tenure at the National Treasury and the Devolution and Public Service ministries.
However, her reign has also been rocked by controversy and multi-million shilling corruption scandals that nearly crushed her illustrious career in public service.
Born in 1971, Waiguru attended Nairobi River Primary School in Buruburu, Nairobi before joining Precious Blood Secondary School, Riruta for her O-Levels. She then joined Moi Forces Academy in Nairobi for her A-Levels.
Waiguru joined Egerton University where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and Home Economics. She also holds a Master’s degree in Public Finance from the University of Nairobi.
The governor started her career at Transparency International before moving to the Kenya Leadership Institute.
Her career in public service started when she was hired as a consultant to provide technical assistance to the Public Service Reform Secretariat.
She then served as the Head of Governance and the Economic Stimulus Programme at the National Treasury.
Waiguru was named in the 2011 Top 40 Under 40 Most Influential Women in Kenya list, being the only woman in public service to receive such recognition at the time.
She was then promoted to head the directorate of Integrated Financial Management and Information System, and Head of Governance at the National Treasury.
Waiguru oversaw the rollout of IFMIS – an automated system being used at both the national and county levels of government to enhance accountability and transparency.
In 2023, Waiguru became the first Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning under the 2010 Constitution following her appointment by the then President, Uhuru Kenyatta.
Seen as the super CS in Uhuru’s first Cabinet, Waiguru oversaw the transformation of public service through the establishment of Huduma Centers, which saw her win several awards.
“Her tenure was marked by significant achievements, including winning 15 prestigious awards, notably the 2015 United Nations Public Service Award for her groundbreaking implementation of Huduma Centres,” Waiguru says on her website.
“These centres transformed access to government services for Kenyans, cementing her reputation as an innovative leader,” she adds.
She also initiated reforms in public procurement, which included the reservation of 30 per cent of government contracts for youth, persons with disability and women.
However, things took a turn in 2015 when Sh791 million corruption scandal rocked her ministry after the revelation of fraudulent payments of suppliers and contractors at the National Youth Service, which was under her docket.
In her court papers, Josephine Kabura, a hairdresser at the centre of the scandal, sought to link Waiguru to the loss of millions at NYS. Kabura claimed Waiguru helped her register several companies that would later be awarded contracts at the agency.
But, Waiguru, while admitting that fraudsters stole money at NYS, fought off any links to the scandal. In 2016, the then-Deputy President William Ruto scathingly attacked Waiguru for the scandal.
“When a hairdresser registers 20 companies in a day and goes on to be paid close to a billion, which she said she carried in sacks and then someone is cat-walking and talking a lot of English … Give me a break!” Ruto had said in a bare-knuckle attack.
The attack came after Waiguru submitted before Parliament that Ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet and the President’s other his allies, Elgeyo Kipchumba Murkomen and Aden Duale, benefited from shoddy NYS deals.
Amid pressure from the public, government circles and the opposition, Waiguru threw in the towel and resigned, citing health concerns and the need for “lighter duties”.
In her statement, Waiguru said the doctor has advised her to take on lighter duties and she has requested the president to assign her ‘such lighter duties as he shall deem fit.’
Months later, she joined politics. She joined Uhuru’s Jubilee Party
