Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru delivered a reality check to aspiring politicians on Wednesday, May 6, warning that social media popularity does not translate to presidential victory. She noted that claiming the country’s highest office requires extensive planning and sophisticated coordination rather than just digital buzz.
The governor dismissed the idea that high engagement metrics on social platforms are a sufficient foundation for a serious political bid.
“It is not a matter of waking up and finding out that you have 5,000 likes on social media and thinking you can become president. It is not that easy,” the governor stated.
Waiguru pointed to current and former leaders to illustrate her point, arguing that success comes from long-term strategy. She noted that President William Ruto spent a decade in the shadow of Uhuru Kenyatta, using that time to organize himself meticulously. Similarly, she observed that Uhuru Kenyatta’s path to the presidency resulted from a plan established long before he took office.
“It was a 10-year plan during which he [Ruto] organized himself. You don’t just wake up and become the president. Even Uhuru did not just wake up and assume office; it was a plan made from a while back,” she added.
The Kirinyaga governor admitted that even with her own extensive resume, which spans 30 years in government and a decade at the helm of a county, the climb to the top remains incredibly steep. She expressed confidence that President Ruto will secure a second term, following the precedent set by his predecessors, and advised the opposition to prepare for that reality sooner rather than later.
Waiguru compared the political landscape to a strategic game of cards, suggesting that a single calculated move could instantly dismantle the opposition’s efforts to win over the Mount Kenya region. She specifically highlighted the power of representation, using herself as an example of how a high-stakes appointment could shift local loyalty overnight.
“If today, I am named the deputy presidential candidate, do you think you will go to the other side, or any woman in Mount Kenya who would want to be left behind?” she posed.
The governor remains a vocal advocate for the president’s reelection, urging her constituents in Mount Kenya to stand firmly behind the incumbent. She issued a stark warning, claiming that the region would face severe consequences if it ended up on the side of the opposition after the 2027 general elections.
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