Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has predicted a tightly contested 2027 presidential race, saying the outcome could go either way and warning that President William Ruto’s political future would take a dramatic turn if he is defeated.
Speaking during a live interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday night, Kuria said early political signals point to a highly competitive election, driven more by political realities on the ground than numbers alone.
“There are a lot of qualitative arguments around the 2027 election than quantitative ones. I have done number crunching for Kibaki, Uhuru and Ruto. I’m too old to get it wrong right now. Right now my number crunching is telling me that this election can go either way,” Kuria said.
He added that the political direction of the Mt. Kenya region will be clear by April next year, and that its decision could heavily influence the national contest.
According to him, the region remains a key factor in shaping presidential outcomes in Kenya.
“I believe that by April next year, Mt. Kenya will make its decision,” he said.
Kuria also made remarks on what could happen if Ruto loses the presidency, suggesting that the head of state could remain a powerful figure in national politics even outside government.
“If Ruto becomes a Wantam president, he will become the leader of opposition with a lot of influence; he will be a more lethal opposition leader than Raila. He will also come back in 2032 with kisirani,” Kuria said.
His comments come at a time when political alignments across the country are beginning to take shape ahead of the 2027 elections, with leaders increasingly positioning themselves in anticipation of possible shifts in power.
Mt. Kenya, which played a decisive role in previous elections, is once again expected to be a major battleground, with politicians closely watching voter sentiment in the region.
Kuria’s remarks have added to the growing debate over the likely direction of the next election and the possible realignment of political forces after 2027.
His suggestion that a sitting president could transition into a dominant opposition leader has also stirred discussion within political circles, reflecting the increasingly fluid nature of Kenyan politics ahead of the next general election.