As Kenya's Political scene heats up ahead of the 2027 General Elections and Several Candidates declare their Interest to Oust the Incumbent, Githunguri Member of Parliament (MP) Gathoni Wamuchomba has declared her interest in vying for the presidency.
In a statement on Sunday, April 20, the Lawmaker said she has a goal to lead Kenya, going ahead to list her manifesto if she is elected as the first female head of state.
Ms. Wamuchomba, who claimed her only short-coming is lack of sufficient funds to campaign, urged Kenyans to vote for her, listing her priorities if she succeeds' in her bid.
“One day, I will lead this country. Who will make me a president? I have no money to campaign,” she said.
Wamuchomba implied that the country has much potential that the successive regimes have not done much to exploit.
If elected president, she revealed she would strive to see to it that Kenyans create wealth in the comfort of their homes.
Top on her agenda would be to reduce the costs of production in the cottage industry, including lowering the cost of energy.
As president, she would sanction the funding of the industry to develop startups and revitalise established businesses.
"One day I will lead this country. I will turn around available labour to riches. I will create cottage industries and subsidise power. Every home with a backyard will produce a product for domestic consumption. (toothpicks, spoons, pots, towels, belts. I will introduce cottage special zones with special power and water rates, establish a national symposium for our cottage industry, create a national award system for the cottage best innovators, and create a cottage fund for incubation in every county," she said.
The products would not lack marketing, as she would move to have the stadiums across the country serve as the hubs for showcasing them.
Besides, she said she would revamp and fund the Kenya Industrial Estate and charge it with marketing the cottage products on the international level.
"Our idle stadium will have cottage markets from 6 pm to 1am daily with a special cleaning squad. I will provide extension officers to evaluate cottage progress and assist in technical advisory," she said.
She suggested her government would formulate a policy requiring the public to consume locally made products.
"When I’m president, women of Kenya will wear local hair wigs made here from banana fibres and biodegradable. All sanitary towels will be made here from biodegradable fibres."
Other than cottage industry, Wamuchomba spotted an untapped potential in agriculture, especially in macadamia, coffee and tea areas.
She vowed not to import the aforementioned for the fast-moving consumer goods derived from them.
"When I’m president, we will not export raw macadamia, coffee, and tea but rather will process locally and sell final goods. I will revamp the Agricultural Mechanisation Unit to support value addition," she said.
Wamuchomba is serving her second term in the National Assembly. She has previously hinted at vying for the top-seat, stating she will be Kenya's First Female President.
As the 2027 elections loom closer, Kenyan President William Ruto faces mounting headwinds that threaten to derail his administration. The country is grappling with economic, political and social pressures.
Ruto’s political survival hinges on his actions over the coming months, especially regarding the 2025 Finance.
As the 2025 Finance Bill presentation and anniversary of last year’s unrest approach, Ruto needs to appease the local population, meet the expectations of anxious creditors, and ensure that Kenya’s powerful patronage networks continue to benefit.
Ruto will need to prioritise public demands over creditor expectations to prevent any mobilisation against his position. However, failure to sufficiently address creditor concerns would pose its own risks to the economy, and by extension Ruto, over the medium to longer terms.
Even if Ruto strikes this delicate balance, precedent in Kenya suggests that anything is possible ahead of the 2027 elections.
With Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at the Forefront building a rebellion against the Incumbent in the Vote-rich Mt Kenya Region, Ruto faces a Mountain in his re-election bid.
Several candidates are expected to face off the Incumbent including former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i, Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Party Leader), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K party leader), George Natembeya (Trans-Nzoia County Governor), Okiya Omtata (Busia County Senator) and Former Cj David Maraga, just to name a few.
The opposition has embarked on a high-stakes strategy of building a new coalition ahead of the 2027 general election, with new presidential aspirants having emerged. This is expected to set the stage for a major political battle as the anticipated coalition principals begin strengthening their political parties.
