Coast political figures have escalated efforts to secure the deputy president position in the upcoming 2027 General Election by calling on residents to register as voters in large numbers. This move aims to enhance the region’s leverage in ongoing negotiations between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Speaking in Lamu County on July 27, 2026, Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Ali Hassan Joho, emphasized the importance of increasing voter registration to strengthen the Coast’s bargaining power. He highlighted the current voter numbers across regions, noting that the Coast's two million voters lag behind Mount Kenya's five million and Nyanza's three million.

Key appeals from Coast leaders:

  • Ali Hassan Joho urged the community to unite and protect their political dignity by boosting voter registration.
  • ODM deputy party leader Abdulswamad Nassir described voter registration as the region’s most powerful political asset, calling on residents to obtain their voter cards.
  • Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy, Fikirini Jacobs, encouraged eligible residents to register promptly, assuring that Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials were on hand to assist.

This intensified voter registration campaign comes amid political jockeying ahead of the 2027 elections. An Infotrak survey conducted in July 2026, which sampled 3,000 respondents, revealed regional preferences for potential running mates to President William Ruto.

The survey findings include:

  • Deputy President Kithure Kindiki leads in Mount Kenya with 41% support.
  • At the Coast, Ali Hassan Joho commands 60% backing, the highest for any candidate in the regions surveyed.
  • Other regional leaders with notable support include Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga in Nyanza, and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi in Western Kenya.

While Deputy President Kindiki has served since November 2024, the survey reflects ongoing regional political dynamics as alliances take shape ahead of the polls. Coast leaders maintain that expanding their voter base is critical to securing a significant role in any political coalition formed before the elections.

Meanwhile, ODM insists on a 50-50 power-sharing arrangement with UDA as a condition for continuing their partnership. Additionally, Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya has been proposed by some ODM and Western Kenya leaders as a deputy president candidate.