Kihika Sets 700,000-Vote Target For Ruto In Nakuru

By Elijah Cherutich

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has intensified efforts to rally support for President William Ruto’s re-election bid, setting a target of 700,000 votes from the county as UDA begins preparations for the 2027 presidential contest.

Kihika announced the target during a meeting with thousands of members of the Kalenjin community drawn from several subcounties, held at her home in Ngata, where she called on supporters to mobilize voters ahead of the elections.

She said Nakuru’s large voter population placed the county in a strategic position to contribute significantly to Ruto’s re-election campaign, urging supporters of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to remain committed to the party and its presidential candidate.

“There are those numbers that every county is expected to contribute to the overall vote, and I want to ensure that I contribute substantially to it and that is why we are targeting at least 700,000 votes from here,” she said.

The governor also urged residents who had not collected their national identification cards or voter cards to do so, saying voter registration and preparedness would be critical to achieving the target.

Kihika further expressed confidence that Ruto would receive substantial support from the Mt. Kenya region, saying her team would continue engaging members of the community to secure backing for his re-election.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who attended the meeting, attributed the administration’s support to what he described as the equitable distribution of power and national resources across the country.

He said the approach would help address historical disparities among regions and communities, arguing that differences in voter registration could affect their influence in national elections.

“In 2022 elections, some of the counties only managed to register about 23% of their population while others had done over 60%. This scenario is what denies some better advantage over others in elections and that is why we are rallying our supporters across the country to take the call seriously,” he said.

Ichung’wah urged UDA supporters to ensure voter registration levels reflected their populations, saying the party was mobilizing its support base nationally ahead of the next election.

Kihika has been hosting delegations from various subcounties at her Ngata home as she seeks to consolidate her political support in Nakuru ahead of the 2027 polls.

The meetings come amid growing political competition in the county, where the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has been seeking to expand its support base.

Nakuru had approximately 1.05 million registered voters during the 2022 General Election, making it one of Kenya’s largest electoral blocs. Kihika’s proposed target of 700,000 votes would represent a significant share of that voter population, although the county’s registered voter numbers may change before the 2027 election.