“I No Longer Want To Be Number Two”: Musalia Mudavadi Declares Presidential Ambitions

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has firmly ruled out any possibility of serving as President William Ruto’s deputy, officially declaring his long-term intention to run for the presidency.

Speaking on Thursday, July 10, 2026, during an animated address to supporters at the Kitale Show Grounds in Kiminini Constituency, the veteran politician made it clear that his sights are set strictly on the top job.

The Strategy: Backing Ruto Now for a Shot Later

While Mudavadi’s ultimate goal is the State House, he clarified that his immediate priority remains securing President Ruto’s re-election in the upcoming 2027 General Election. He urged his political base to back Ruto for a second term, framing it as the definitive stepping stone for his own future bid.

Key takeaways from Mudavadi’s declaration include:

  • No Interest in Being Deputy: Mudavadi explicitly stated he is no longer interested in the second-highest office in the land.

  • Warning to the Opposition: He cautioned rival political figures against underestimating the President’s political machinery, dismissing their chances of unseating the current administration in 2027.

  • The Ultimate Target: He positioned himself as a future presidential contender, waiting for the right moment to transition from a key strategist to the main candidate.

In His Own Words

“For me, I no longer want to be number two. At the right time, I want to be number one. Hiyo ndio target (That is the target). But in the interim, hapa muhula, tusaidie Ruto apate muhula wake wa pili (let’s help Ruto get his second term). Na mimi nataka niwaambie right now, kwa wakati huu, hao wote ambao wanazunguka hapa kutoka kule opposition, I want to tell you hawatafua dafu (they won’t succeed).”

With this declaration, Mudavadi has drawn a clear line on his political future, setting the stage for a dramatic shift in Kenya’s post-2027 political landscape.

Musalia Mudavadi Secures Enhanced Protection For Kenyan Workers In Saudi Arabia

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, has concluded high-level bilateral negotiations in Riyadh aimed at fundamentally restructuring labor mobility frameworks and securing legally binding protections for thousands of Kenyans employed within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The diplomatic breakthroughs were formalized during the inaugural Kenya-Saudi Arabia Political Consultations, which Mudavadi co-chaired alongside Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.

The high-stakes diplomatic engagement addresses a long-standing socio-economic concern in Kenya regarding the welfare, human rights, and working conditions of diaspora workers in the Gulf region. Mudavadi emphasized that the Kenyan government’s commitment to its citizens extends far beyond merely facilitating overseas employment opportunities; it encompasses an active, round-the-clock state responsibility to safeguard their physical safety, legal rights, and human dignity.

Under the newly refined bilateral agreements, both nations have committed to establishing regularized, highly transparent, and safe labor mobility pathways that actively eliminate rogue recruitment agencies. Accompanying the Prime CS, Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu announced that the Kenyan government has already expanded its consular service capacities in the Middle East, including the operational launch of a 24-hour emergency response center designed to offer immediate legal and physical intervention for distressed workers.

Beyond immediate safety metrics, the bilateral discussions explored strategic channels to empower the Kenyan diaspora to safely invest their earnings back into the domestic economy. By reducing remittance transaction costs and creating secure, state-backed investment portfolios tailored for overseas workers, the administration aims to maximize the diaspora’s long-term contribution to Kenya’s national development agenda while simultaneously fostering deep, mutually respectful diplomatic ties with the Saudi Kingdom.

President Ruto Appoints Mudavadi To Lead National Response Team On Incoming Ebola Patients

Facing a massive public backlash and legal threats over a secretive biological defense agreement with the United States, President William Ruto has ordered the immediate formation of a National Response Committee to oversee Kenya’s defensive protocols against the escalating regional Ebola outbreak.

In an executive directive issued on Thursday, May 28, 2026, the President appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi to spearhead the multi-agency containment strategy as the deadly virus expands across Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

A Unified, Nationwide Mobilization

The new executive committee is tasked with breaking down bureaucratic silos to manage medical readiness, allocate emergency funds, and roll out aggressive public health campaigns.

“The Government will establish a National Response Committee under the leadership of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to coordinate a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response, strengthen public awareness and preparedness, and mobilise the technical and financial resources necessary to address any eventualities arising from the Ebola outbreak,” President Ruto stated.

The announcement followed a high-stakes emergency summit at State House, Nairobi, where President Ruto hosted foreign ambassadors, global development partners, and multilateral health agencies to evaluate Kenya’s vulnerabilities.

The KSh 1.74 Billion US Deal Sparks Fury

The sudden formation of the response team is widely viewed by political analysts as an attempt to regain control of a narrative that has sparked widespread public panic. The political temperature spiked following revelations that Nairobi has quietly approved a United States-funded Ebola isolation and quarantine military installation at the Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki.

The deal was finalized during a high-level phone conversation on Thursday between President Ruto and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with Washington pledging KSh 1.74 billion ($13.4 million) to fund Kenya’s biological readiness.

However, the decision to host a quarantine base for Americans exposed to a lethal Level 4 pathogen on local soil has ignited fierce domestic resistance:

  • Medical Union Ultimatum: The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) issued a strict 48-hour ultimatum to the Ministry of Health, demanding absolute transparency regarding the safety protocols of the Laikipia base and threatening a nationwide healthcare strike.

  • Constitutional Court Battle: Concurrently, prominent human rights and legal advocacy group Katiba Institute filed an urgent lawsuit in the High Court seeking a conservatory order to block the implementation of the U.S. military installation, citing severe biosafety risks and a total lack of public participation.

With the courts and medical unions locking horns with the executive, Mudavadi’s newly minted committee faces the dual challenge of protecting the country from a regional epidemic while defusing an explosive domestic diplomatic crisis.

Mudavadi Moves to Quell Protestors’ Fears That JKIA Has Been Sold

In the last few days there have been rumors that JKIA is being sold. These rumors provided the spark for the latest calls for protests on Maandamano Tuesdays. I covered the reasons more in depth in this article:

https://www.ghafla.co.ke/ke/why-kenyans-want-to-occupy-jkia-today/

To get ahead of the rumors, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has come out to say that JKIA is not for sale. In a press briefing this morning, he said:

Let me discount immediately that the airport is not for sale. This is a public asset. It is a strategic asset, and if it was going to be sold, it has to go through a full public process that parliament endorses. So anybody who is given the impression that Jomo Kenyatta airport has been sold, is not being factual. It is not true.

He however admitted that there were some plans in place to modify the airport

What we need to appreciate is that we need to modernize our airport. That means investment will have to take place at the airport. We need a new terminal. You remember there was a greenfield terminal but it never took off. The contractual engagement had its challenges. There was litigation, it stalled, and the rest is history. Going forward, the Kenya Airports Authority must look at its investment program and ensure that everything is transparent.

Here is the full video of the statement by Mudavadi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8exxEjqibY

President William Ruto names Musalia Mudavadi as acting CS for all ministries

Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto has expressed his disappointment with the new directive that bars political leaders from participating in Harambees.

Addressing a gathering, the Kenya Kwanza leader stated that while he has no issue with stepping back from Harambees, it would make it almost impossible to build churches.

CHECK OUT:

https://www.ghafla.co.ke/ke/salim-swaleh-arrested-for-allegedly-aiding-fraudsters-in-mudavadis-office/

“Things have changed a bit, and it has been suggested that we put church matters aside for a while. Some people have pushed us to stop Harambees in churches, and now we’re wondering how we will build churches.”

However, he reassured the public that they would be involved in the decision-making process regarding whether Harambees should continue or not.

“The good thing is that the law will be brought to you for public participation… you will decide the procedures we will put in place to ensure that corruption does not enter the church, that deceit does not enter the church, and that we continue to build churches with respect for God,” President Ruto said.

ALSO CHECK OUT:

https://www.ghafla.co.ke/ke/maryanne-mudavadi-marries-lover-traditional-wedding/

The ban on Harambees was introduced because some political leaders were using the platform to flaunt their wealth, while others were contributing with ulterior motives.

Moses Kuria and Mudavadi beef plays out in office drama

In a recent statement, Secretary of Government Strategic Communications Kibisu Kabatesi has dispelled any misconceptions about government office assignments following the recent cabinet reshuffle.

He clarified that the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (OPCS-MFDA) had temporarily occupied the Treasury Building while awaiting the completion of renovations and refurbishments at his Railways Headquarters office.

Kabatesi emphasized that the Treasury Building was not designated as the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, but rather as the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Public Service.

He also cautioned against any public servant attempting to allocate ministerial locations or portfolios, emphasizing that this function belongs solely to the President.

Kabatesi’s statement is a reminder that the government’s organizational structure is hierarchical and that portfolio designation is the prerogative of the President.

Maryanne Mudavadi Marries Lover Traditional Wedding

Maryanne Mudavadi, the daughter of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, tied the knot with her lover, lawyer Nyaga Karanja, in a traditional wedding held at her father’s home in Mululu village, Vihiga County, on Saturday, August 19.

The bride wore a beautiful figure-hugging dress, while the groom donned a pair of black-fitting trousers and a shirt with a touch of green. The groom’s team wore green pants with matching shirts to compliment the African-themed ceremony.

Mudavadi donned an elegant broken suit as he handed over his daughter to his in-laws from the central region who wore their signature tawny brown outfits.

The wedding was attended by family and friends, including Davidson Wakairu, the son of Jubilee Vice Chairman David Murathe.

Maryanne is a human resource officer at a local bank. Her father joined President William Ruto’s Cabinet in October last year following Kenya Kwanza’s victory in the hotly contested general election.

The wedding was a joyous occasion, and the bride and groom looked radiant. They are now officially husband and wife, and we wish them all the best in their married life.

“I joined Uhuru’s camp after Mudavadi tricked me” Comedian Profesa Eshuya narrates his ordeal

‘Mshamba’ actor Thomas Omurunga Oyoro popularly known as Profesa Eshuya says Nasa principal Musalia Mudavadi used and dumped him.

The comedian-cum-actor says that he campaigned for Mudavadi in 2013 when he vied for president. He reveals that Mudavadi promised him a nomination slot from his party ANC for the good work he did.

“I was Mudavadi’s right hand man and his official emcee when he decamped from ODM to vie for presidency on United Democratic Front (UDF) in 2013. By then, Mudavadi was being regarded as a reject for his bold step to walk away from ODM. I campaigned for him vigorously in every rally he held and he promised to give me a nomination slot to the Kakamega County Assembly on UDF party,” Profesa Eshuya told SDE.

I was tricked

Profesa Eshuya

Profesa Eshuya holds a grudge against the Nasa principle. He explains that he was Mudavadi’s right hand man and that his betrayal felt like a jab right through his heart.

“When the nomination list came out, I was shocked when I saw my name at position 14 despite my tireless efforts. I cannot tell what happened to my name to explain this second trickery” said Profesa Eshuya.

Profesa Eshuya resorted to supporting president Uhuru Kenyatta after the betrayal. He says he was severely criticized for his move considering he comes from Kakamega County, a stronghold of Nasa.

“I was very upset to see even my friends call me names. This was not the first time to work with the president since I was the chief organiser of the event to welcome him after his charges at the ICC were dropped. I mobilised people effectively and was recognised for that, so changing from NASA to Jubilee was not new,” Profesa Eshuya explains.

 

 

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