Former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo has dismissed claims that President William Ruto could be defeated in the 2027 General Election, insisting that the Head of State’s re-election bid remains unstoppable.

Speaking during a women empowerment fundraiser at Ndori Primary School in Gem Constituency, Siaya County, on Sunday, June 14, 2026, Gumbo said opposition leaders, including Siaya Governor James Orengo, stood no chance of politically outmanoeuvring President Ruto.

“Nobody in this country can outsmart Ruto in politics. Those ganging up to dislodge him in 2027 will be shocked at the ballot box,” Gumbo said.

He further argued that with the political exit of ODM leader Raila Odinga from active presidential contests, no figure from Luo Nyanza or elsewhere poses a serious challenge to Ruto’s re-election bid.

Grassroot mobilisation

Gumbo, who described himself as a supporter working closely with ODM-linked structures under Oburu Oginga, pledged to mobilise grassroots support for Ruto in Siaya County ahead of 2027.

“As a foot soldier, I will revive campaign structures and ensure we boost voter numbers in Siaya. This will be part of a wider strategy to make President Ruto’s re-election a reality,” he said.

“Those going contrary to our mission will find the game a little rough. We have no apology to make for supporting Ruto. As the Luo community, President Ruto has favoured us with lots of goodies right from the birth of the broad-based government.”

“It is under the Ruto government that a son from our community held lucrative positions, Treasury CS and Energy CS, and can boast of a ring road at Rusinga Island. We also have electricity at Mageta Island courtesy of the president,” Gumbo said.

Errand boys

On Siaya gubernatorial bid, Gumbo has threatened to deal with Siaya cartels inciting Siaya County workers to frustrate his bid to succeed Governor Orengo in 2027.

Gumbo noted that some people who worked under the regime of ex-Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga and failed to put the regime in check have decided to work as Governor Orengo’s errand boys, inciting county workers not to support me for governor in 2027.

“There are a lot of us who were part of the ex-governor Cornel Rasanga regime, embraced governor Orengo’s administration, and are now working as his errand boys. They have come up with cheaply priced propaganda which they sell to Siaya workers as a way of inciting them against me, but I want to tell them that their campaign gimmicks won’t thrive.”

He asked Siaya workers to ignore the sadist and propagandist kin sabotaging his gubernatorial bid, adding that he meant well for them and would feel even better under his leadership.

Gumbo said that his administration will prioritise the workers and ensure that any of them who have completed their tasks and are eligible for daily subsistence allowances will get their dues.

He regretted that county government workers are treated like house servants.

“They are disrespected and deprived of their allowances, but we want to assure them of better services. The constitution gave you (workers) the right to be in those offices, and it was not a gift from the governor.”