Kindiki camp fighting two battles: Mount Kenya unity and the DP seat

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki. [DPCS]

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s camp is facing a renewed political battle on two fronts: protecting its influence in Mount Kenya and securing the Deputy President’s position ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The latest exchange unfolded during a tour of Embu yesterday, where Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku appeared to push for a political split within the Mount Kenya region as he rallied support for Kindiki and President William Ruto’s administration.

Ruku used a swinging hand gesture to demonstrate what he described as splitting the mountain, as Kindiki watched from the stage and laughed.

“Should Ruku continue what he is doing?” Kindiki asked as the CS continued with the gesture.

When Ruku took the microphone, he explained the political message behind his demonstration, saying a tougher position was necessary to stop political attacks and secure Kindiki’s continued stay in the Deputy President’s office.

“We have no choice but to take a firm stand to ensure that the insults stop. For Kindiki to become Deputy President, we must divide the Mountain,” Ruku said.

The CS then turned his attention to leaders outside the region who could be interested in the Deputy President’s position in the next election.

“Those in Mombasa and Homa Bay, we are telling you clearly that the DP seat has an owner,” Ruku said.

Ruku’s remarks have revived the debate over the political unity of Mount Kenya, coming only weeks after Kindiki cautioned leaders against attempts to divide the region.

“I come from this region, and I do not want our communities to be divided. We are one people,” Kindiki said in an earlier address.

The Deputy President also warned leaders who were seeking to create different political voices within the region.

“Those who think they will bring confusion to Mt. Kenya by making people speak in different voices and dividing them should relax,” he said.

Despite the warning, Ruku has continued to campaign for a stronger and distinct political voice for Mount Kenya East, comprising Meru, Embu and Tharaka-Nithi counties.

The CS has argued that the region should organise itself politically and use its growing influence to secure its interests in national politics. The push has increasingly been linked to Kindiki’s position in government and calls for him to remain President William Ruto’s running mate in 2027.

Leaders from Mount Kenya East have, in recent weeks, intensified calls for Mount Kenya West to support Kindiki as Ruto’s running mate, arguing that the region should retain the position after Kindiki became the first Deputy President from the eastern side of Mount Kenya.

The campaign has also exposed disagreements over whether Mount Kenya should continue operating as one political bloc or whether the eastern and western sides should pursue separate political interests.

Kindiki has repeatedly sought to play down such divisions, stressing the historical ties between the communities.

“People are talking about the communities of Mt Kenya. I want you to hear me clearly: the relationship between the Kikuyu, Meru and Embu communities in business, politics and culture did not begin today. It has existed for a long time,” he said.

He has also appealed to leaders who have disagreed with him politically to return to the government fold.

“I have no issue with leaders who insulted me. I forgive them and ask them to come; we work,” Kindiki said.

But Ruku’s latest remarks show that the campaign around Kindiki’s political future is continuing to take shape around Mount Kenya.

The CS has been among the most vocal defenders of Kindiki’s position, particularly whenever opposition leaders suggest that the Deputy President’s position could form part of negotiations in a future political arrangement.

Ruku has repeatedly sent a message to figures seeking the position, insisting that it is already occupied.

“The position of Deputy President is not vacant,” he said.

The latest declaration in Embu was even more direct, with Ruku telling leaders in Mombasa and Homa Bay that the seat already has an owner.

For Kindiki’s camp, the immediate battle is being fought within Mount Kenya itself. Ruku and other allies are seeking to consolidate support around Kindiki, while the Deputy President continues to call for unity among the communities of the wider region.

The competing messages have placed the Kindiki camp in a difficult political conversation: defending the unity of Mount Kenya while simultaneously fighting to ensure that the region retains the Deputy Presidency.

With the 2027 election approaching, both battles are likely to remain central to the political contest — who speaks for Mount Kenya, and who occupies the Deputy President’s seat.