Scramble for Maa region: Ruto, opposition lock horns in bid to succeed Raila

President William Ruto inspects projects during his tour of Kajiado county. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

President William Ruto and an energised opposition have locked horns and are currently embroiled in a  scramble for the Maa vote ahead of the high-stakes 2027 general election.

Both parties have rolled out a relentless charm offensive targeting the Maasai-dominated counties of Narok, Samburu, and Kajiado with the Maa region emerging as a critical voting bloc that could determine who clinches power come the general polls.

At stake are more than 1,083,518 votes capable of tipping the scales of power in a tightly contested Presidential race. And having been one of the late Raila Odinga’s political strongholds, both the Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza alliance and the opposition are pulling out all the stops to ‘inherit’ the bastion.

According to the 2022 voter register, Narok had 398,852 voters, while in the just-concluded enhanced continuous voter registration, the county registered 46,794. Kajiado had 463,389 voters in 2022 but has registered an additional 55,013 votes. Samburu had 100,052 votes in the 2022 general election but gained 19418 votes.

These were votes largely controlled by the late ODM party leader Raila, who garnered more votes in the region compared to Ruto’s in the previous election.

In Narok, the former ODM leader garnered 159,455 votes, amounting to 51 per cent against Ruto’s 148,310 votes which was 48 per cent of the total votes cast. In Kajiado, Raila defeated Ruto after garnering 158,556 against Ruto’s 148,449, while in Samburu Raila got 41,737 votes against Ruto’s 28,329 votes.

Raila’s exit of the political scene now means that the Maa region remains a swing vote up for grabs.

President Ruto knows this and is currently engaged in a three-day campaign blitz in Kajiado County, just two weeks after held a similar two-day engagement in the neighboring Narok County.

During his Thursday development tour, the Head of State challenged the opposition to abandon empty political slogans and instead present Kenyans with clear policies and development plans.

He was accompanied by Governor Joseph Lenku, Woman Representative Leah Sopiato and Kajiado South MP Samuel Parashina among others.

“I want to tell them to stop the politics of slogans and empty statements. Every leader seeking the support of Kenyans should tell the people what they stand for, what they plan to do and what they have achieved,” President Ruto said.

“Don’t just sing ‘wantam’ or ‘Kasongo’; bring your agenda to the people. Tell Kenyans your policies and what you will do for them.”

He expressed confidence that Kenyans would re-elect him based on the achievements of his administration, saying his government has undertaken major programmes aimed at transforming the economy and improving the lives of citizens.

President William Ruto inspects projects during his tour of Kajiado county. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

Ruto’s plan to woo the masses, he said, was hinged on his administration’s development record. He spoke while inspecting the ongoing construction of Rombo Bridge in Kajiado South.

“I will defeat my competitors in the morning because they don’t have a plan—just slogans and noise,” he said.

His inroads into the Maa region have now been interpreted as part of wider efforts to deflate the growing influence of the opposition namely DCP, Jubilee and Linda Mwananchi parties which have been pitching camp in the Maa region on a support-hunting mission.

While the Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi brigade has used Kajiado as its political launching pad in the recent past, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP is the most recent to make inroads into the Maa region within the opposition.

The party has been engaged in sustained efforts to expand its support base beyond its traditional Mount Kenya region.

In the month of August alone, Gachagua toured Kajiado twice; first on August 8 where he toured Kajiado Central as Maa leaders unveiled a declaration seeking to strengthen community unity and political cohesion ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Gachagua attended a public engagement at Ngatataek in Kajiado Central on Saturday, August 8, 2026, where the Maa Declaration was presented amid growing political activity. On August 12, he returned to Kipeto in Kajiado, where he joined residents to celebrate the educational achievement of Ann Nashipae.

Nashipae is among those aspiring to contest for the Kajiado County Woman Representative seat under the DCP banner, giving Gachagua’s visit a political dimension.  Just two days prior, Gachagua had welcomed 10 MCAs from Kajiado County into the DCP Party. The defectors included Kajiado County Assembly Minority Leader Isaac Kiresian of Magadi Ward, who left ODM, as well as Joseph Torris of Ewuaso Oonkidongi Ward and Edward Lemomo of Kuku Ward, both of whom also defected from ODM.

DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua shares a plate of nyama choma with local leaders during his tour of Narok East, where he addressed residents in Suswa and Nairagie Enkare. [George Sayagie, Standard]

Aside from the tours, the DCP leader and Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party have been engaged in a scheme to woo the region’s support by appointing key party officials from the region into their parties.

Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) has picked David Persaina from Kajiado as the party’s chairperson and Martin Ole Kamwaro from Narok as the party’s Deputy Secretary General in charge of Strategy while Uhuru’s Jubilee has picked Moitalel Ole Kenta to the prestigious Secretary General position who is also the spokesperson of the party.

Former Planning Principal Secretary Saitoti Torome who also hails from Narok and previously served as the party’s chairperson, was retained as the new chairman of the Jubilee Foundation.

In May, the two parties organized the homecoming ceremonies of their officials with Gachagua pitching camp in Kajiado to preside over the homecoming ceremony of Persaina while Uhuru joined former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, through a phone call address, to celebrate the homecoming ceremony of Ole Kenta in Narok.

Separately, Uhuru and Gachagua’s remarks in Narok and Kajiado counties focused on wooing the Maa region to back their parties as they reiterated their commitments and resolve to work with the Maa people to form the government in the next year’s polls.

 While rallying the Maa region to back Matiang’i, Uhuru recounted how the region supported his administration between 2013 and 2022, citing it as a reason why he settled on Kenta, as a way of returning the favour, so that he too could participate on taking the Jubilee party to the next level.

“Maa region supported me when I vied for Presidency and consequently during my administration and I will forever remain grateful. Leaders from the Maa region are honest, brave, selfless and hardworking and I have no doubt that   Kenta will take our part in the next level,” Uhuru said.

He exuded confidence that Kenta would join Matiang’i to consolidate votes from the Maa region and to fight for the democratic space as he hailed him to possess exemplary leadership skills.

 On his part, Gachagua told Kajiado residents that the DCP party belonged to them and that through the two party officials, the party was guaranteed that they would sit on the decision-making table for the nation ahead of next year’s polls.

“Maa region has been marginalized for a long time. As we strategize on forming the next administration, this region will be at the center of the planning; DCP is a special vehicle that will cater for the interests of the Maa people,” Gachagua said.

While courting the region, Gachagua accused President William Ruto of failing to deliver the pledges he made to the Maa region, claiming that instead of delivering the promise, the President allegedly spearheaded the grabbing of community land meant for the community.

 “In Kajiado, there are enough reasons to say vote out Ruto next year. Kibiko land, which belongs to the Maa people, has been grabbed; Ol-Donyike land in Magadi has been grabbed. We voted Ruto to put money in our pockets but instead ended up grabbing our land.”

He added, “He promised to establish sewerage in Ongata Rongai, Isinya and Ngong; it is four years down the line, and he has not fulfilled his promise. He pledged that he would return Amboseli National Park to the community, but he sponsored court cases to delay the matter.”

He also slammed Ruto for not appointing a Cabinet Secretary from the Maa region, a move he said broke the tradition of all the other four Presidents.

 “Since independence, only President Ruto has failed to appoint a Cabinet from Maa region, Jome Kenyatta appointed Stanley Ole Tiptip, Daniel Moi appointed George Saitoti and even appointed him his Vice President. Mwai Kibaki appointed Geoffrey Mapukori Parpai while Uhuru worked with Joseph Ole Lenku, Joseph Nkaissery, and Keriako Tobiko,” he said.