What
began as Public
Service Cabinet
Secretary Geoffrey Ruku’s call for Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi
counties to chart their own political path has reopened the debate over the political future of Mt Kenya, with leaders including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Gachagua calling for the region to remain united.
The
stakes are high because the region remains one of the
largest electoral blocs.
According
to the 2022 voters’ register, Mt Kenya West, comprising Kiambu,
Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Nyandarua, has 3,114,735 registered
voters, representing 14.1 per cent of the national electorate.
Mt
Kenya East, made up of Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi, has 1,338,373
registered voters, accounting for 6.1 per cent nationally.
Combined,
the broader Mt Kenya region commands more than 4.45 million voters,
over one-fifth of the
country‘s
electorate, making it a decisive battleground in any presidential
contest.
Political
analysts say the outcome of the debate could determine whether Mt
Kenya heads into 2027 as one formidable voting bloc or as competing
political centres, a scenario that would significantly reshape the
presidential contest.
Ruku
has in recent weeks intensified calls for Mt Kenya East counties to
distance themselves politically from what is traditionally known as
Mt Kenya West.
His
latest social media posts left little doubt about his position.
“We
as Mt. Kenya East do not care what happens in Mt. Kenya West,”
he wrote.
In
another post, he declared: “We don’t care! We’re Mt. Kenya East!”
He
followed it with another provocative message saying: “Mambo ya
West kutukulia kwa mfuko kama njugu karanga imekwisha. Liberation has
come early.”
His
remarks came as political temperatures remained high following the Ol
Kalou parliamentary by-election.
The
CS
has consistently argued that Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi have long
been treated as junior partners within the broader Mt Kenya political
formation.
Speaking
during a church service in Igembe Central on June 13, Ruku argued
that leaders from Mt Kenya East had been sidelined despite their
contribution to Kenya’s liberation struggle.
“I
want to categorically state that Merus are not Kikuyus. When
professionals from Kiambu or Murang’a get jobs, it is said the
Mountain has gotten its share. How is that possible?” he posed.
“The
time has come; we divorce as a mountain because if you do not support
our son Kithure Kindiki and we have supported you all along, then
clearly let’s split the mountain.”
The
remarks immediately drew criticism from leaders allied to both
President Ruto and DP
Kindiki.
Energy
Principal Secretary Alex Wachira dismissed the proposal while
speaking in Narumoru on June 15, insisting the Mountain had always
derived its strength from unity.
Wachira
argued that Mt Kenya East had benefited whenever leaders from the
wider region held power, citing appointments during former President
Mwai Kibaki’s administration, including Njeru Ndwiga, Kiraitu
Murungi, David Mwiraria and former Head of Public Service Francis
Muthaura.
He
urged residents to support President Ruto’s second-term bid before
rallying behind one united regional candidate in 2032.
Nyeri
Senator Wahome Wamatinga and Kieni MP Njoroge Wainaina also backed
calls for unity.
Kindiki
has equally rejected attempts to create political fault lines within
the region.
Without
directly mentioning Ruku, Kindiki appealed for restraint and warned
leaders against promoting narratives that divide Kenyans.
“This
is our country, and whenever we have disagreements, let us exercise
moderation because there is tomorrow. Let us not destroy
relationships that have been built over centuries because of
temporary issues,” Kindiki said.
“We
are together. We are one community and one country, and we have no
other home to go to. We are one family, from the Coast to Western,
from Northeastern to the Rift Valley and Central Kenya. Kenya is our
homeland, and we must protect it, love it and live together in
peace.”
In
a surprising political twist, Gachagua, who has repeatedly criticised
Kindiki over the past year, publicly backed the Deputy President’s
position on the Mt Kenya unity debate.
Speaking on Monday, July 20, Gachagua praised Kindiki for opposing attempts to
split the region.
“Kindiki
made a statement which made me happy. Yesterday, he said the Mountain
was one and should not be divided. For what it’s worth, you are right
because the only way Ruto can come back as President is if the
Mountain is divided,” Gachagua said.
He
went further and appealed to Mt Kenya residents to ease their attacks
on Kindiki despite their political differences.
“The
toxic political environment requires us to protect our own,”
Gachagua said.
He
described Mt Kenya as Kindiki’s political home and urged supporters
to redirect their political fire towards President Ruto and Interior
Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen instead.
The
remarks marked the first time the two fierce rivals have found
themselves on the same side of a major regional political issue.
Analysts
say Gachagua’s unexpected defence of Kindiki underscores the
seriousness with which he views the Mt Kenya East debate.
According
to political observers, Gachagua’s entire 2027 strategy depends on
presenting Mt Kenya as one united political constituency capable of
negotiating with presidential candidates from a position of strength.
If
Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi embrace a separate political identity
under leaders allied to President Ruto, Gachagua’s influence across
the region could diminish considerably.
Instead
of commanding one consolidated voting bloc, he would have to compete
with another power centre led by Kindiki and Ruto’s allies.
Such
fragmentation would weaken his bargaining power and complicate
efforts to rally the entire region behind one political direction.
For
President Ruto, however, the debate presents a potential political
opportunity.
Kindiki
remains one of the administration’s most influential figures in Mt
Kenya East.
Should
the eastern counties increasingly identify with Kindiki while
sections of Mt Kenya West remain aligned to Gachagua, the President
could retain significant support within the broader region despite
deteriorating relations with some western counties.
Rather
than confronting one united regional voting bloc, Ruto would face a
divided political landscape where different leaders command influence
in different counties.
That
fragmentation could work to his advantage in a tightly contested
presidential race.
Former
Kirinyaga Woman Representative Wambui Ngirici has also criticised
Ruku’s remarks, arguing that he was speaking beyond his mandate.
“Dear
CS Geoffrey Ruku, ‘we’ is a very expensive pronoun. Unless you’re
expecting a baby, kindly stick to ‘I’. Otherwise, your vote is just
one among millions in the Mountain. Please don’t issue collective
certificates on behalf of everyone,” she posted.
The
exchange has exposed growing ideological differences over the future
of Mt Kenya politics.
Those
opposed to the split argue that the region’s greatest political
strength has always been its unity, allowing it to negotiate for
Cabinet positions, development projects and national leadership as
one bloc.
Supporters
of the Mt Kenya East identity, however, insist the eastern counties
deserve greater political recognition and should no longer be viewed
merely as extensions of Kikuyu-dominated politics.
Whether
Ruku’s campaign gains momentum remains uncertain.
But
the debate has already achieved one outcome: it has forced political
rivals, including Kindiki and Gachagua, onto the same side of an
argument they both believe is crucial to the region’s political
future.
As
campaigns gradually gather pace towards 2027, the battle may no
longer simply be between Kenya Kwanza and the opposition.
It
may also be over whether Mt Kenya remains one political mountain, or
becomes two.
For
Gachagua, the numbers explain why he has moved swiftly to defend the
unity of the Mountain.
His
political strategy hinges on presenting the entire Mt Kenya region as
a single negotiating bloc worth more than 4.45 million votes.
Losing
the 1.34 million voters in Mt Kenya East to a separate political
identity aligned with Kindiki would significantly weaken his claim to
speak for the entire region and diminish his leverage in coalition
negotiations ahead of 2027.
For
Ruto, however, a politically distinct Mt Kenya East could prove
advantageous.
Rather
than confronting a united voting bloc of more than 4.45 million
voters, he could retain substantial support from the region through
Kindiki and leaders in Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi, while Gachagua
consolidates only parts of Mt Kenya West.
Such
a split would reduce the likelihood of a unified anti-Ruto voting
bloc emerging from the Mountain, making the East–West debate one of
the most consequential political contests to watch as Kenya heads
towards the 2027 General Election.
