Gathoni Wamuchomba eyes the 2027 running mate slot with unshakeable resolve; the fiery Githunguri MP declared amid the swirling dust of post-Raila Odinga mourning, positioning herself as a powerhouse ready to anchor the opposition’s next big swing.
In a packed virtual town hall streamed to her 450,000 followers on social media, Wamuchomba dropped the mic-drop line that’s already buzzing from Kiambu coffee farms to Nairobi’s high-rises: “I will be someone’s running mate come 2027.”
It’s a bold flex from the lawyer-turned-legislator who’s built a rep as Ruto’s thorniest critic, blending sharp legal takedowns with grassroots grit in a political arena still echoing Odinga’s October 14 farewell.
Wamuchomba, 48 and a mother of three who’s juggled motherhood with marathon parliamentary marathons, isn’t new to the spotlight. Elected in 2017 on a Jubilee ticket before jumping ship to the opposition’s fiery fringes, she’s the voice behind viral rants on abductions, women’s rights, and economic heists – think her 2024 floor filibuster that stalled the Finance Bill for days.
This running mate tease lands like fresh mandazi in a Kenya hungry for fresh faces post-Raila’s void. “Baba’s legacy isn’t a solo act; it’s a relay. I’m lacing up for the handoff,” she quipped, her signature headscarf framing a smile that’s equal parts strategist and street fighter.
With ODM’s unity vows ringing hollow amid Karua’s funeral fury and Sifuna’s heir-apparent hustle, Wamuchomba’s nod taps the “Kenya Moja” caucus – that youthful rebel squad she’s co-piloted with Sifuna since mid-2025.
Insiders say she’s eyeing a slot under Matiang’i’s shadow or even a wildcard like Ndindi Nyoro, ditching UDA’s “betrayal blues” for a third-force fusion. “She’s the bridge: Kikuyu queen with Luo loyalty, feminist fire for Gen Z frost,” gushed political whisperer Mutula Kilonzo Jr on a late-night panel.
But thorns prick: Ruto’s camp, via a snarky State House tweet, branded her a “daydreaming dissenter”, while Gachagua loyalists in Mt Kenya sniff a “sellout sequel” to her past Jubilee flirt.
This ambition arc mirrors her rise: from human rights crusader suing over extrajudicial hits to parliament’s anti-FGM crusader, Wamuchomba’s docket drips with do-gooder cred.
Last month, she rallied 5,000 women in Githunguri for a “No More Silence” march against gender-based violence, channelling Odinga’s agitator aura. “Running mate? That’s step one to rewriting the script – devolution dollars to the depths, not the dynasties,” she elaborated in the hall, fielding Qs from diaspora daughters to dairy farmers.
Polls from Infotrak peg her approval at 58% in Central, edging out rivals like Alice Wahome, but the real test? Coalitions. Is she the glue for a splintered Azimio or the spark for a fresh blaze? Her X bio now winks: “Relay ready. Who’s passing the baton?”