The political marriage between ODM and Government is facing its first domestic violence case as Mt Kenya East leaders erect a firewall around Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.

"We will not negotiate with our son's birthright." This was the thunderous message from a caucus of Mt Kenya East leaders meeting in Chuka today. The target of their ire? The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), whose MPs have been aggressively eyeing the Deputy President's seat for the 2027 cycle.

The controversy was sparked by comments from ODM insiders suggesting that the 2027 running mate slot should be reserved for the Nyanza region as a reward for their "stabilizing" role in the broad-based government. This has triggered a fierce protective instinct in the Mountain. Kindiki's allies, led by younger MPs, accused ODM of "political gluttony"—eating at the high table while trying to steal the silverware.

The 2032 Calculation

The conflict is not just about 2027; it is about the 2032 succession. Mt Kenya East believes Kindiki is the natural heir to President Ruto. Allowing an ODM Deputy President in 2027 would effectively kill Kindiki's momentum for the top job five years later.

"ODM should be content with the Cabinet slots they were given," said a prominent Meru MP. "Any attempt to destabilize the Presidency will be met with fire." As the political temperature rises, President Ruto finds himself in a delicate balancing act: keeping his new friends in ODM happy without alienating his loyal voting bloc in the Mountain.