Kindiki Maintains Strong Lead in Ruto’s 2027 Running Mate Race, TIFA Poll Shows

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki remains the clear favourite to deputise President William Ruto in the 2027 election, although his support has dipped slightly since May.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki is still the leading choice to be President William Ruto’s running mate in 2027, according to a new TIFA Research poll.

Kindiki received 55 per cent support among respondents who said they would like Ruto to win the next presidential election. He is 43 percentage points ahead of his closest challenger, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, who scored 12 per cent.

Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho came third with nine per cent. Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula each received four per cent.

The figures suggest that, among Ruto’s potential supporters, there is still strong backing for retaining Kindiki as deputy president rather than bringing in a new running mate.

But the latest results also show a small shift in the level of that support.

In TIFA’s May 2026 survey, Kindiki received 59 per cent among respondents who preferred Ruto as president. His latest score represents a four-point drop. Wanga, meanwhile, has held steady at 12 per cent.

Joho’s support has risen from one per cent in May to nine per cent in November, while Oburu has moved from two per cent to four per cent. The figures point to some movement among the alternative choices, even as Kindiki retains a substantial lead.

ODM figures feature among alternatives

The presence of Wanga, Joho and Oburu among the leading alternatives is notable as UDA and ODM continue to navigate their broad-based political arrangement.

Wanga, the ODM chairperson, is the highest-ranked alternative to Kindiki in the latest survey. Joho and Oburu also feature, reflecting the range of political figures being considered by respondents who favour Ruto’s re-election.

However, the poll does not establish that ODM has secured a claim to the deputy president’s position. Nor does it show that Ruto has settled on a running mate.

The combined figures for the alternative candidates should also be treated with care. They represent separate individual preferences, not a coordinated political bloc or evidence that supporters would automatically back a single candidate if the alternatives joined forces.

Kindiki’s position is also not a guarantee that he will remain on the ticket. The final decision will depend on political negotiations, party interests and the President’s own calculations as the election approaches.

What the poll says — and what it does not

The survey was conducted between October 26 and November 5, 2026, through face-to-face household interviews with 2,036 Kenyan adults aged 18 and above.

It covered all 47 counties, organised into nine survey zones, with interviews conducted mainly in Kiswahili and English.

TIFA reported a margin of error of plus or minus 2.16 percentage points. It cautioned that the margin is higher for smaller sub-groups.

Crucially, the 55 per cent figure is not a measure of Kindiki’s popularity among the entire Kenyan electorate. It applies only to respondents who said they would like Ruto to win the 2027 presidential election.

The findings are therefore best read as an indication of the running-mate preference within Ruto’s potential support base at the time of the interviews, rather than a prediction of the final presidential ticket.

With the 2027 election drawing closer, the figures give Kindiki a strong position in the public preference stakes. But the political contest over who will occupy the deputy president’s seat is far from settled.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.