Ruto’s new Mt Kenya comeback offensive: Can he win it back?

However, after the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua as deputy President in October 2024, Mt Kenya has been drifting further away from Dr Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), following Mr Gachagua’s aggressive campaigns against his former boss.

His Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has made inroads in Mt Kenya, Nairobi and Narok counites.

However, the President has on several occasions, during meetings in Nyeri, Murang’a, Meru and Kirinyanya, dismissed Mr Gachagua’s claims that he is the one who helped him gain acceptance in the mountain.

“Nobody brought me here..my relationship with the mountain spans over 20 years and I cannot abandon the people who made me President,” he told Nyeri residents in April this year.

DCP’s victory in the Ol-Kalou by-election on July 16, 2026 has since been used to advance the argument that Dr Ruto has lost the mountain.

And now, less than a year to the August 2027 General Election, the President has unleashed a campaign machinery comprising of government officials and politicians, with the aim of bringing the region back to his fold.

The team targets Mt Kenya West, where Dr Ruto is perceived to face serious opposition. While the counties of Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Meru are in the East, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua and parts of Laikipia are in the West.

Last Sunday, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku and Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira camped in Nyeri county, where they sought to persuade the people of the region to give Dr Ruto a second term. They were joined by Othaya MP Wambugu Wainaina and his Mathira counterpart Mr Eric Wamumbi.

Mr Ruku particularly targets to change the “traitor” narrative, by telling residents that the region was still at the centre of President Ruto’s administration, and that Mr Gachagua’s impeachment was individual and did not target the community.

During his campaigns, Mr Gachagua has always pointed out that after his ouster, several other individuals from the mountain have been removed from their positions.

Speaking when he attended a church service at AIPCEA Gathumbi church in Othaya, Mr Ruku said while Mt Kenya east was represented in the Kenya Kwanza administration by only two Cabinet Secretaries – himself and Water and Irrigation CS Eric Mugaa – the west had several CSs and PSs.

“The west has Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe, Alice Wahome in Lands and Housing, ICT’s William Kabogo and Lee Kinyanjui of Trade and Industry while there are several PSs including Alex Wachira of the powerful Energy ministry. We in the East are not complaining about these positions but whoever tells you the community has been kicked out of government is lying,” he said.

“What we want to make clear is that the west of the mountain is well represented in President Ruto’s government. When some people tell you lies, you should know they are serving their own interests. Let’s give President Ruto a second term so that we benefit from the government we put in power,” he added.

The CS said the Nyeri visit would set in motion a series of meetings in other counties of Mt Kenya West where they would seek to explain to the residents why the mountain should give Dr Ruto a second term in the August 2027 election.

He however warned that should the west continue opposing Dr Ruto, he would also escalate his calls to divide the mountain vote into East and West.

“There is no way the west can continue chanting Wantam and cheering a divisive man like Gachagua yet most of the development projects have been implemented in this side of the mountain. If you don’t want more projects, we in Mt Kenya East will stick with the President so that our promises are fulfilled,” Mr Ruku said.

But Mr Wamumbi differed with the CS, and asked him to desist from the ‘cutting the mountain’ talk, saying the region would be taken seriously only when united.

The MP urged leaders to resist attempts to create a political divide between Mt Kenya East and West, saying the region should accommodate different political views while maintaining unity.

“CS Ruku, let this mountain remain united. This house has many rooms. Let us have the mountain under one house and have many rooms, but as the Mt Kenya community let us stay united. We have not refused to support Prof Kindiki, but we want to rally behind him while united,” Mr Wamumbi said.

Speaking separately when he helped raise funds for a local football tournament in the same constituency, Mr Wachira also rejected calls for a divided Mt Kenya region and challenged leaders in the West to examine why some voices from the East were advocating for a split.

The PS said the disagreement was partly being fueled by resistance to Prof Kindiki’s position as Deputy President, arguing that some leaders in the West were yet to accept that the position was now held by a leader from the other side of the region.

“We should ask ourselves why people from the East are calling for a split of the region. It is because some of us have never come to terms with the fact that the Deputy President is from the East,” Mr Wachira said, adding:

“I want to assure our brothers and sisters from the East that we will support Prof Kindiki and make sure the mountain remains united so that we give President Ruto a second term.”

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