Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has announced his intention to run for the Meru County Governor seat in the 2027 General Election.
In a statement on Thursday, February 26, Linturi said the decision followed extensive public consultations across the county.
He explained that residents from all nine constituencies had encouraged him to contest, urging him to offer his leadership once again.
Former Agriculture CS Linturi Enters Race for Meru County Governor. Photo: Courtesy.
After engaging with citizens both on the ground and through local media outlets, Linturi confirmed he would be seeking their support to serve as Meru County Governor in the upcoming election.
“Having conducted public participation across the entire Meru County, having listened to the People of Meru across the 9 constituencies, both on the ground and through the TV stations and radios, where the people of Meru have been calling on me to come back and contest for the Meru Gubernatorial seat, I have agreed. I will be offering myself to you, great people of Meru, to ask you to support me to be the Governor of Meru come 2027,” Linturi noted.
This will be Mithika Linturi’s second attempt at the Meru County governorship. He first contested the seat in the 2022 General Election on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket but lost to Kawira Mwangaza.
In that election, Mwangaza received 209,148 votes, while Linturi came second with 183,859 votes. Former Meru governor Kiraitu Murungu finished third with 110,814 votes.
After the loss, Linturi was appointed Agriculture Cabinet Secretary by President William Ruto, a position he held until July 2024 when the entire cabinet was dissolved.
Linturi did not return to the cabinet when it was reconstituted and later resigned from the UDA on May 14, 2025, formally notifying the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties of his departure.
Linturi subsequently joined Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP Party, where he was appointed National Organizing Secretary.
