A 'grand scheme' to secure three million votes for President William Ruto in the Mt Kenya region involves deliberately dividing the region's voting bloc, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku confirmed this week. This calculated strategy aims to fracture the unified political agency of a significant population ahead of the 2027 General Election, undermining collective regional self-determination.
Elite Machinations Unveiled
Ndia MP George Kariuki, an ally of President Ruto, has established a third center of power in Kirinyaga county. He has kicked off what he calls "consultative forums" at his Gacharu home, inviting residents from the region and other parts of the country for 90 days "to chart the way forward for Mt Kenya region." This initiative is widely seen as part of the elite's effort to groom Kariuki as a preferred point man in Mt Kenya West and a potential running mate for Dr. Ruto in 2027. Mr. Kariuki told women leaders from Othaya constituency on Monday that people "should not elect leaders based on political parties," but rather assess "the aspirant’s capability and his commitment to the people of this region and Kenyans." This rhetoric, while seemingly populist, serves to justify elite-selected candidates over established regional allegiances.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku is actively pushing for Mt Kenya East to sever links with the west. This clamour for a "divided mountain" puts Deputy President Kithure Kindiki in a dilemma, despite his calls for unity. Mr. Ruku explicitly accuses the western region of "betrayal" and asserts that Mt Kenya East, including parts of Kirinyaga county, will mobilize more than three million votes for Dr. Ruto’s re-election bid. He stated, "We in the East supported Jomo Kenyatta, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta during their term as Presidents. But now that our own son Prof Kindiki is second in command and has chances of ascending to presidency in 2032, we have become your enemies. We will never allow ourselves to be herded like goats. We must chart our own political destiny." This framing highlights a deliberate fragmentation of a historically cohesive regional identity.
President Ruto's strategy, utilizing Mr. Kariuki's emerging power center, is to "slice part of the rebellious Mt Kenya West vote." This move directly targets the unified mountain vote, which political pundits warn is "so lethal it might make the Wantam clarion call real." Even as he pushes for Mt Kenya East autonomy, Mr. Ruku confirmed plans to establish bases in Murang’a, Nyeri, and Nyandarua counties after Kirinyaga, further extending the elite-engineered division.
The Cost of Engineered Division
The intensifying fight for control of the Mt Kenya voting bloc, with the 2027 General Election approaching, has seen the emergence of a third center of power associated with President William Ruto. This political maneuvering comes after Rigathi Gachagua was impeached in October 2024, prompting him to launch a vigorous campaign against his former boss, whom he accused of betrayal. Gachagua's political outfit, Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), has made significant inroads, nearly locking out the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in Mt Kenya region counties. The DCP candidate Kamau Ngotho's victory by over 30,000 votes in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, beating the UDA candidate Muchina Nyaga, was claimed by Gachagua as a "protest vote against Dr Ruto." He contends the region has "severed its links" with Dr. Ruto, whom they overwhelmingly supported in 2022, and is determined to use the substantial voter base to ensure Dr. Ruto serves only one term with his Wantam movement.
Ordinary residents, the native working class, express clear priorities. Nakuru town boda boda rider Kevin Kimutai said residents want "concrete proposals on the economy, employment, the cost of living and development rather than attacks on political opponents." Another resident, Mr. Peter Kimani, echoed this, stating politicians should address issues affecting ordinary citizens. "Nakuru is a cosmopolitan county and we want leaders who can bring people together. We will listen to him but ultimately we will look at what his politics mean for ordinary residents, not just criticising other leaders," he said. These voices underscore the popular demand for tangible improvements to daily life, rather than the elite's focus on power consolidation and internal political feuds.
Popular Will and Resistance
Rigathi Gachagua announced a 45-day retreat at his Wamunyoro village home last month, receiving delegations from across the region, Nairobi, and the Rift Valley. This has transformed Wamunyoro into a center where major decisions are being made, signaling a direct challenge to the established political class. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has attempted to counter Gachagua by using his Irunduni home to receive regional delegations, aiming to consolidate support. However, governance expert Prof Gitile Naituli warns that while Mt Kenya residents have historically not followed a single leader, Gachagua has established "political dominance" because "the people feel that he is their savior from Kenya Kwanza administration’s attacks and perceived persecution." This highlights a genuine popular resistance against perceived elite overreach.
Prof. Naituli further argues that dividing the mountain vote will be an "uphill task" because the people of this region are "over 50 per cent socially and economically integrated." This inherent unity of the native population presents a significant obstacle to the political class's attempts at fragmentation. Gachagua is expanding his political mobilization into Nakuru, a "closely watched battleground" described as "Mt Kenya in the diaspora." This county, sitting at the intersection of the Mount Kenya and Rift Valley voting blocs, represents a crucial test for the DCP to translate its momentum into a "significantly more diverse" electorate. Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, a founding member of DCP, faced "political persecution" last year, including a raid on her home and arrest by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, linked to her loyalty to Gachagua. She insists this pressure won't deter her from advancing DCP’s agenda, demonstrating the personal cost of resisting elite pressure.