The Mt Kenya question: Why MP Kariuki says Ruto is not out yet

Ndia MP George Kariuki during an interview on Spice FM, Thursday September 3,2026 [Screengrab]

Ndia MP George Kariuki says President William Ruto still stands a chance of winning back Mt Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election, pointing to development projects as his strongest card.

Speaking during an interview on Spice FM on Thursday, Kariuki said it remains too early to conclude the region has abandoned Ruto, arguing the President still has room to win over voters who have drifted toward the opposition.

"I don't think there is a contractor who can say their project has stalled or they have not been paid. It is not just in Mt Kenya but across the whole country," said Kariuki.

The Ndia MP attributed the region's cooling relationship with the government partly to the fallout between Ruto and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, though he noted the rift can still be mended.

Kariuki observed that "the fallout between President Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua is what has gotten us into a difficult political situation, but it is something that can be surmounted."

The rift has widened in recent months, with Gachagua blaming Ruto's July defeat in the Ol Kalou by-election on what he called the President's betrayal of Mt Kenya.

The region now finds itself pulled between Ruto, Gachagua and former President Uhuru Kenyatta as the 2027 contest takes shape, while Ruto has toured Gachagua's own Mathira stronghold to launch development projects, declaring at one stop that "nobody brought me here".

He called for the depoliticisation of the country, saying next year's election should turn on development record rather than political rhetoric.

"As a country, if we want to develop, we need to depoliticise our society," he explained.

Kariuki compared the kind of leadership Mt Kenya wants to that of the late President Mwai Kibaki, describing the region's voters as hungry for results rather than political noise.

"The people of Mt Kenya are looking for someone like the late Mwai Kibaki, who was less of a politician and more of a leader focused on bringing development more than a political noise-maker," he said.

Defending the government's economic record, Kariuki said farming costs have dropped alongside prices of essential commodities, crediting a fertiliser subsidy programme for easing the burden on farmers.

He pushed for greater investment in research and manufacturing, arguing Kenya has become overly reliant on imports.

"We have made our country a supermarket for other countries. No country has ever developed without investing in manufacturing, particularly manufacturing for export," Kariuki added.

The cost of doing business must fall further, Kariuki said, describing this as a priority already being pursued by the Ruto administration.

He acknowledged public frustration over the pace of development but insisted the country needs leaders who can accelerate it.

"We are not moving at the right pace and I understand the frustration of Kenyans. For us to move at a faster pace, we need leaders who will take us there to development," Kariuki said.

He also rejected claims that corruption is rife within the roads, transport and infrastructure sectors under the current administration.

"The level of corruption in the roads, transport and infrastructure sector is low and I say this as an insider," Kariuki maintained.