Speaker Wetang'ula hyped as William Ruto's successor

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has been hyped as the best candidate to succeed President William Ruto in 2032.

This comes after political leaders drawn from the Western Region launched an aggressive push for political unity as they sought to consolidate their influence and position one of their own for the presidency by 2032.

Speaking on Saturday at the burial of Mzee Peter Nasong'o Nabwera in Lugari Constituency, Kakamega County, the political class emphasised the urgent need for the Luhya community to turn its numerical strength into decisive political power at the ballot box.

The gathering, attended by influential national and regional leaders, painted a picture of a region determined to break away from its historical struggles with disunity and fragmented political loyalties.

Wetang’ula emerged as the consensus candidate for the presidency in 2032 with those pledging their support describing his leadership as a source of hope for the region’s aspirations.

A seasoned politician with over three decades in Parliament, Wetangula has been likened to the late President Mwai Kibaki, whose long legislative career culminated in a successful presidency.

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Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa said despite being one of the most populous communities in Kenya, the Luhya community has long grappled with the inability to translate its numbers into political dominance.

Barasa lamented the community’s failure to leverage its population for strategic gains in elections.

"We committed to work together and also to strengthen our unity and movement forward. We must walk together because if we are not united, our numbers as the Western Region will not count. We pride ourselves on being the second-largest population, but surprisingly, when it comes time for elections, those numbers do not matter,” said Barasa.

While calling on leaders across the region to mobilise eligible voters to ensure Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga, and Trans Nzoia counties match the voter numbers seen in regions like Nairobi, Kiambu, and Nakuru, Barasa said, “We are not just aiming for participation but dominance. By the next election, Kakamega must join the ranks of counties with over one million voters.”

While much of the rhetoric centred on long-term goals for 2032, leaders emphasised the need to rally behind President William Ruto in the short term.

Barasa, who also chairs ODM in Kakamega, noted that supporting Ruto’s administration would position the region favourably for future negotiations.

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"We are fully behind President Ruto because his government has brought national unity. But we are also laying the groundwork to ensure that Western Kenya speaks with one voice in 2027 and beyond," Barasa said.

His sentiments were echoed by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah who praised Wetang’ula while expressing confidence in his potential to rise to the highest office in the land.

"Speaker Wetang’ula has served in Parliament for over 31 years, second only to Mwai Kibaki, who served for 40 years. Where did Kibaki go after Parliament? He went to the State House. Wetang’ula can do the same," Ichung’wah said adding, "When that time comes, I hope he remembers me I could be a great deputy president.”

Bumula MP Jack Wamboka in his remarks urged colleagues to rally behind senior leaders instead of undermining them.

"We need to stop political strangulation within our ranks and support those with the potential to lead us to victory," Wamboka said.

In his sentiments, Wetang’ula stressed the importance of structured political planning, warning against using funerals as platforms for strategy discussions.

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He called for a series of formal meetings to chart the region’s political future.

"Tomorrow’s strategies cannot be planned in funerals. We must organise ourselves, meet, and strategise effectively to position our region for success," Wetang’ula said.

He also highlighted the need for robust voter registration drives across the region, urging counties to prepare for the next elections by mobilizing large voter bases.

"You are the ones who hold leadership in your hands. We are in discussions with key stakeholders, and we have our strategy. Without making much noise, by the time we go to the next elections, Kakamega must join the ranks of counties with over one million voters. Kakamega must be on the same level as Nairobi, Kiambu, and Nakuru—the millionaire voter counties,” he said.

The leaders announced plans for a series of rallies and meetings across Western Kenya to foster unity and mobilise voter registration.