- Okenyuri said the calls to have Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro replace DP Gachagua as President William Ruto's deputy in 2027 is just a way of managing politics.
- She said that what such calls show is how informed the people of Kenya are politically.
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Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri now says that the ongoing push and pull over who should lead the Mt Kenya region in 2027 is not a bad thing after all.
Speaking on Friday, Okenyuri said the calls to have Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro replace Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as President William Ruto's deputy in 2027 is just a way of managing politics.
She said that such calls show how informed Kenyans are politically.
Okenyuri, however, insisted that while this is okay to happen, it should not distract elected leaders from doing what they are mandated to do.
"I wouldn't say it is a bad thing it shows how politically informed people are. People are taking up positions, people are not waiting to be organised. At the same time let whatever is happening not cover the general plan that we as leaders elected by the people are mandated to undertake," she said.
"Governance and politics go together but the politics has to be managed. When you hear someone say so and so shouldn't be doing this, that is just managing."
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) nominated senator added that it is also good for young leaders to be ambitious.
Okenyuri noted that President Ruto is also a product of an ambition he had as a young man.
"It's a good thing for young people to be ambitious because ambition is priceless. The president himself is a product of ambition from the YK92. You're not going to sit and wait to be told that now you are ripe to go for this."
She, however, cautioned that if such ambitions are not sought in a structured manner, there can be good and bad consequences.
"The laws of power, sometimes you have to calculate your moves tactfully. Sometimes you might do that and it costs you and sometimes it might work but all in all, taking risks, balancing governance and politics, we need a blend of all that," Okenyuri added.
Her remarks come against the backdrop of calls by a section of UDA elected leaders to have Ndindi Nyoro as Ruto's number two in the next presidential election.
Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu and Gatanga MP Edward Muriu have openly backed Nyoro for the DP position.
"We will request Ruto to choose a young person from Murang’a who is Ndindi Nyoro," Nyutu stated.
"The women of Murang’a also give birth to leaders and Ndindi Nyoro is qualified enough to deputise Ruto and become a leader," added Muriu.
Gachagua has, on his part rubbished the calls insisting that this is not the time to politic, but to work for the people.