Governor Barasa: No current leader from Western has capacity to vie for presidency
By Mabonga Makhanu, December 10, 2025Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has stated that no leader from the Western Kenya region currently has the capacity to vie for the presidency in 2027.
Speaking during an interview on a local radio station on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, the county boss urged leaders from his community to embrace the leadership of President William Ruto and support his reelection, rather than pursuing the presidency themselves.
He clarified that this does not diminish the longstanding ambition within the community to lead the country or to have a president from the region.
Barasa emphasised that if the community wants this dream to materialise, they should first unite and support other communities, particularly the Rift Valley region, which he described as Western Kenya’s closest ally.
According to him, supporting President Ruto in 2027 will ensure that the community receives reciprocal support in the future should a Luhya leader aspire to the presidency.
“No leader from the West has the capacity to vie for the presidency in 2027. If we want to ever rule the country, we must first make friends, and the first allies that we should have are the Rift Valley region, who are in power now. We should support President Ruto to finish his term, and he will support us in 2032,” Barasa stated
On Luhya unity, he noted that leaders should not be myopic, focusing solely on their tribe, as the region is cosmopolitan and composed of diverse communities. To gain political influence, he argued, leaders must unite the entire region rather than a single ethnic group.
He drew parallels with President Ruto’s political journey, noting that in 2013 and 2017, Ruto shelved his own presidential ambitions to support other leaders, a strategy that ultimately helped him secure the presidency in 2022.
Wetangula eyeing the presidency
This comes days after National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula declared his interest in the presidency in 2032.
Wetangula urged locals in Western Kenya to understand that the only viable path to power and the realisation of the community’s ambitions is through supporting President Ruto in 2027, after which he will have the opportunity to pursue his own presidential bid.
The same sentiment was echoed by President Ruto’s aide, Farouk Kibet, who, while campaigning for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate in Malava, reiterated that Western Kenya is well-positioned to take over power from President Ruto in the future.
He urged the community to support Ruto’s reelection, promising that the baton would be returned after his term.
Opposition leaders from the region have dismissed this narrative, arguing that President Ruto has done little for Western Kenya.
Trans-Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has positioned himself as the region’s spokesman, stating that he is ready to represent its interests at the national level.