Deputy President Kithure Kindiki is the preferred choice to deputise President William Ruto in the broad-based government, according to a new public opinion survey by Infotrak Research and Consulting.
The poll shows Kindiki commanding a significant lead over other leaders mentioned by respondents, with 34 per cent naming him as their preferred running mate.
However, the survey also reveals considerable uncertainty among Kenyans, with 37 per cent of respondents saying they were either undecided or did not know who should be Ruto's running mate.
Kindiki's lead places him well ahead of Homa Bay Governor
Gladys Wanga, who emerged second with 11 per cent support.
Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga ranked third with five per cent, followed by former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho at four per cent.
Former Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru garnered three per cent, while Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula each received two per cent.
Kisii governor Simba Arati attracted one per cent support, while other leaders, including National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, shared less than one per cent of the responses.
The nationally representative survey of 3,000 adults across all 47 counties was conducted between June 22- June 26, 2026 using mixed-mode data collection (CAPI and CATI), with a ±1.79 per cent margin of error at 95 per cent confidence and a 99 per cent response rate.
According to the Infotrak survey, Kindiki was the only named contender to surpass the 20 per cent mark, giving him what the research firm described as a commanding lead over the rest of the field.
The findings nevertheless point to a sizeable section of the public that remains undecided, with the proportion of respondents who were unsure exceeding support for any individual candidate.
The survey comes as political attention increasingly shifts to the composition of a possible 2027 presidential ticket amid the broad-based political arrangement between President Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and sections of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
The issue of a running mate is expected to feature prominently in coalition negotiations as political parties seek to balance regional, ethnic, gender and political interests ahead of the next General Election.
Since assuming office as Deputy President following the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua, Kindiki has maintained a high public profile, frequently accompanying Ruto on development tours and spearheading the implementation of government programmes.
The emergence of Gladys Wanga as the second-most preferred option may also fuel debate over the role of ODM leaders within the broad-based government, with several senior party figures having been appointed to Cabinet and other key state positions.
Infotrak Research and Consulting sponsored the survey to
gauge public opinion on who Kenyans believe would be the best running mate for
Ruto under the broad-based government arrangement.
