Why Mt Kenya must resist attempts to divide it into East and West

Political history offers a hard but consistent lesson: Communities do not rise to power by numbers alone. They rise by cohesion, shared purpose, and strategic clarity. In contemporary Kenya, few warnings are more urgent than the attempt to fragment Mt Kenya into artificial political sub-regions.

The idea of “Mt Kenya East” and “Mt Kenya West” is not innocent cartography; it is political engineering. Its purpose is simple: To dilute collective influence and make domination easier. Fragmentation weakens bargaining power, fractures negotiating capacity, and turns a once-coherent voting bloc into manageable, competing units. History shows that such strategies succeed not because they are clever, but because communities underestimate their danger. Those promoting this scheme understand that a divided Mt Kenya cannot assert itself effectively at the national bargaining table. For ordinary residents of the region, what is at stake is not just political power for a few, but tangible development and fair representation for all. A united Mt Kenya can secure its fair share of national resources and attention, while a divided one will struggle to get even basic considerations, left fighting over scraps.

Kenya’s political landscape offers ample cautionary tales. Large communities have learned that internal divisions can render their numbers irrelevant. A demographic giant can become a political dwarf if its members pull in different directions. In simple terms, a community carved into rival camps becomes easy prey for astute power brokers.

Mt Kenya’s own recent history bears this out. In the 1990s, the region’s vote was divided among multiple leaders, keeping it out of the presidency. Only when the communities united behind Mwai Kibaki in 2002 did Mt Kenya reclaim the presidency and with it a strong voice in national affairs. This turnaround proved that unity, more than sheer numbers, is the key to converting population strength into political power. This pattern holds true: When Mt Kenya votes as a bloc, it secures power; when it splinters, its influence fades.

Mt Kenya now stands at a dangerous crossroads. Proposals to divide the region into East and West may be framed as administrative convenience or cultural recognition, but politically they are instruments of dilution. A fragmented Mt Kenya would find itself negotiating not as one bloc but as rival sub-units competing for favour. That is how strong regions are neutralised: By turning unity into suspicion and shared interest into rivalry. If the region falls for this ruse, it will find its voice diminished at the national table, regardless of population size.

Political identity, however, is not fixed. Benedict Anderson’s idea of “imagined communities” reminds us that unity is constructed, not inherited. Solidarity can be built around shared political and economic interests rather than just bloodlines. Development priorities, economic security, fair representation, and equitable bargaining can become the glue that holds a community together. Politics, at its core, is arithmetic: Numbers matter only when they move in the same direction. Fragmented numbers cancel themselves out, while united numbers dictate terms.

Mt Kenya’s historical strength has never been merely demographic. It has been organisational, the ability to coordinate and negotiate collectively, and to act with strategic discipline. That strength is precisely what division seeks to destroy. Once fragmented, a community loses both influence and dignity. It becomes reactive instead of strategic, pleading instead of negotiating.

Fragmentation invites exploitation, while unity commands respect. No serious political actor bargains fairly with a divided constituency; they simply pit factions against each other and extract concessions. Mt Kenya’s own leaders should also take heed: Any short-term political gain from playing the East-versus-West card will prove hollow. It might elevate a few politicians as “kingpins” of their sub-region, but it will ultimately weaken the community’s bargaining position. There is no real benefit to being a leader of a fragmented faction if that fragmentation leaves the whole region politically diminished. If Mt Kenya is to remain relevant in 2027 and beyond, it must resist attempts—subtle or overt—to fracture its political voice.