Ex-Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has officially announced that he will run in the 2027 General Election to occupy the gubernatorial position of Meru, citing extensive demand by people in the entire Meru County.

Taking it to his Facebook account on Thursday, Friday, 26, 2026, Linturi, in his declaration, has indicated that the decision was arrived at after a long period of public participation and consultations in all nine constituencies of the county.

“Having conducted public participation across the entire Meru County. Having listened to the people of Meru across the 9 constituencies, both on the ground and through the TV stations and radios, where the people of Meru have been calling on me to come back and contest for the Meru gubernatorial seat, sasa nimekubali. I will be offering myself to you, Great People of Meru, to ask you to support me to be the Governor of Meru come 2027. Asanteni,” Linturi stated.

Linturi’s political journey

Linturi is not a foreigner in the gubernatorial politics of Meru. He had earlier shown interest in the seat and unsuccessfully run for Meru governor before the 2022 General Election on a UDA ticket and was beaten by the former impeached governor Kawira Mwangaza, who ran on an independent ticket.

His election as cabinet secretary was a major boost to his political involvement, as he was previously an elected senator for Meru County. His time in the Cabinet was, however, shortened with his removal in a reshuffle in the Cabinet by President William Ruto, which redefined his political path.

Linturi re-identified himself politically and subsequently allied with the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).

His statement is now a coming-of-age moment, as he shifts his attention back to county leadership with a new attempt to win the office of the Meru governor in 2027.

Battle for United Opposition endorsement

Linturi has entered the list of people in the race to oust the sitting governor, Isaac Mutuma M’Ethingia, and this has paved the way for a very competitive political race.

The race is set to be one of the most hyped political races in the area, as political heavyweights in the region plan a showdown. He joins the former first governor of the county and former cabinet secretary, Peter Munya. The two political figures are backing the united opposition, and the entry of Linturi into the race is expected to raise concern over who will be the opposition’s flag bearer in the Meru gubernatorial race in 2027.

Even though Linturi has not indicated the party to run on, his affiliation with the DCP Party could be termed as alignment to use it as a political vehicle in the general elections in 2027 if everything remains constant as it is now.