Ruto's headache as rivals thwart push for Mt Kenya East-West split

President William Ruto’s relationship with Mt Kenya is under renewed scrutiny over growing political rebellion. [File, Standard]

The political battle for Mt Kenya’s influential voting bloc has intensified, with a section of leaders dismissing claims that the region is splitting into East and West, arguing that the debate is a strategy by competing political interests ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The growing debate has placed President William Ruto’s relationship with the region under renewed scrutiny, three years after Mt Kenya emerged as one of his strongest political bases in the 2022 General Election.

While allies of the President have argued that political realignments are reshaping the region, critics have rejected the East-West narrative, saying it is aimed at weakening Mt Kenya’s collective bargaining power and creating new political centres ahead of the next election.

The debate has also revived questions over whether President Ruto can rebuild the support he enjoyed in the region in 2022 or whether former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua remains the dominant political figure capable of influencing Mt Kenya’s voting patterns.

Leaders opposing the split narrative, including Nyeri County Assembly Speaker James Gichuhi Mwangi, former Laikipia East MP Cate Waruguru, Tharaka Nithi County Assembly Majority Leader Justin Kithinji, political analysts Kuria Kariuki and Peter Kuria, and Othaya parliamentary aspirant Edmond Kimaru Gathiru, have argued that Mt Kenya remains united by shared history, economic interests and social relationships.

They maintain that attempts to separate Mt Kenya East from Mt Kenya West ignore long-standing connections between communities, including intermarriages, business networks, shared markets, language and common development concerns.

Edmond Kimaru Gathiru, who is seeking the Othaya parliamentary seat on the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) ticket, said there were deliberate attempts to create divisions within Mt Kenya, arguing that the East-West narrative was emerging because political factions were positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 contest.

Gathiru pointed to recent remarks by CS Geoffrey Ruku, saying they appeared aimed at creating divisions within the region.

“Definitely yes. Recently, we have heard CS Ruku making statements that appear aimed at creating a rift within the Mount Kenya region. This is a premeditated plan to undermine the political unity that has existed for many years,” Gathiru said.

According to him, the debate was not accidental but part of wider political calculations as different camps seek influence ahead of the next General Election.

“The narrative has emerged at this time because the country is approaching the General Election, and different political factions are positioning themselves in the best possible way to secure victory,” he said.

Gathiru argued that President Ruto and his allies were attempting to regain lost ground in a region where political support has become uncertain following the fallout between the President and his former deputy.

“I believe this is true. It is human nature to make every effort to retain what one considers valuable. Having realised that the region is no longer firmly behind them, President Ruto and his allies are doing everything possible to win it back,” he said.

He, however, dismissed the possibility of a genuine split within Mt Kenya, saying residents remain united despite political differences.

“The region remains as closely united today as it has been in the past,” he said.

From Mt Kenya East, Tharaka Nithi County Assembly Majority Leader Justin Kithinji rejected calls for separating the region politically, saying residents had not authorised any leader to promote such an agenda.

Kithinji argued that communities from Mt Kenya East and Mt Kenya West have coexisted peacefully for generations and continue to share strong social and economic relationships.

He cited intermarriages, business interactions and movement between counties as evidence that the region remains interconnected.

“We have lived harmoniously with our neighbours, that is the Kikuyus. Our people are married to their people, their people are married to ours,” Kithinji said.

He said the political future of Mt Kenya should be based on development, unity and national interests rather than divisions.

“We are waiting for 2027 so that we can elect leaders who advocate for national vote, who advocate for development and who advocate for unity,” he said.

Kithinji warned that divisive politics could harm relationships that have existed for years, arguing that leaders should focus on issues affecting residents rather than creating differences among communities.

Nyeri County Assembly Speaker James Gichuhi Mwangi accused political actors of using the East-West debate as a strategy to weaken Mt Kenya’s influence in national politics.

Gichuhi claimed the push was linked to attempts to position Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as the new political leader of Mt Kenya East.

“The splitting is a strategy being used, but that will not work,” Gichuhi said.

He added that even Deputy President Kindiki had opposed attempts to divide the region, arguing that the debate did not represent the interests of residents.

According to Gichuhi, Mt Kenya’s strength has historically come from its ability to speak with a common voice on national issues.

He argued that attempts to create separate political identities within the region would reduce its influence rather than strengthen it.

“The people of Mount Kenya understand that their strength comes from being together. Even Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has condemned attempts to divide the region,” Gichuhi said.

Former Laikipia East MP Cate Waruguru also dismissed claims that Mt Kenya was breaking into different political blocs, arguing that the region’s unity goes beyond elections.

Waruguru said Mt Kenya communities share economic interests in agriculture, trade, irrigation, water resources and regional development.

She argued that political differences should not be mistaken for permanent divisions among communities.

“Whether it is East, West, North or South, that conversation to divide Mt Kenya is irrelevant and is a rhetoric that has no grip within the region,” Waruguru said.

She said residents understand that maintaining a united voice gives the region stronger bargaining power when engaging with national leadership.

Waruguru also argued that the region’s future should be shaped by development priorities rather than political strategies aimed at creating divisions.

Political analyst Kuria Kariuki said there was no evidence that Mt Kenya had split politically, arguing that voters were increasingly making independent choices rather than following traditional regional voting patterns.

“There isn't a split. The people voted; there is no split,” Kariuki said.

He argued that recent electoral outcomes, including the Mbeere North by-election, should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a divided region.

According to Kariuki, voters in Mt Kenya are becoming more open in their political decisions and are moving away from traditional ethnic voting patterns.

“The voters are moving away from tribal politics,” he said.

He argued that while a presidential candidate does not necessarily need to win every vote in Mt Kenya, the region remains politically important because of its population and historical influence in national elections.

Kariuki dismissed the idea that focusing on one section of Mt Kenya could replace support from the wider region, saying the combined strength of the region remains significant.

Peter Kuria, a political commentator and Laikipia gubernatorial aspirant, also dismissed claims that Mt Kenya was splitting into East and West, describing the narrative as a deliberate political strategy driven by individual interests rather than the wishes of the people.

He accused CS Geoffrey Ruku of advancing the debate to safeguard his position within the government, arguing that the conversation did not reflect the realities on the ground.

“There is a deliberate effort to split Mt Kenya into two, but this is for selfish gains. Nobody can separate the mountain,” Kuria said.

He argued that attempts to create separate political identities within Mt Kenya would not succeed because the region is bound together by longstanding social, cultural and economic ties that transcend politics.

According to Kuria, communities across Mt Kenya East and West have lived together for decades, sharing a common language, intermarrying, trading in the same markets and depending on one another economically.

“The region is united through intermarriages, business, markets for our goods and our common language. Those are bonds that no politician can break,” he said.

Kuria claimed the push to create an East-West divide was being advanced by leaders pursuing personal political ambitions instead of addressing the challenges facing residents.

“Leaders should stop pushing selfish interests and instead focus on uplifting the community and addressing the issues affecting the people,” he said.

He further argued that replacing former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki had not altered the political dynamics of the region, maintaining that Gachagua continued to command significant influence because he enjoyed support from both Mt Kenya East and Mt Kenya West during the 2022 General Election.

“President Ruto replaced Rigathi Gachagua with Kindiki, who comes from Mt Kenya East, but both the East and the West voted for Gachagua. That tells you where the people's political confidence still lies,” Kuria said.

Kuria also claimed that government development projects alone would not determine how the region votes in 2027, arguing that residents would assess the administration based on its overall relationship with Mt Kenya rather than infrastructure or appointments.

According to him, leaders should focus on improving the lives of residents rather than advancing individual political ambitions.

He maintained that Gachagua remains an influential figure in Mt Kenya politics, arguing that both Mt Kenya East and West supported him during the 2022 election.

He said President Ruto’s decision to replace Gachagua with Kindiki had not necessarily changed the political realities on the ground.

Ultimately, President Ruto’s challenge in Mt Kenya goes beyond the debate over East and West. It is about whether he can restore the trust and political connection that delivered him overwhelming support in 2022.

With 2027 drawing closer, the region’s voters will determine whether past alliances can be rebuilt, whether new leadership can emerge, or whether Mt Kenya will chart a different political path.

For Speaker James Gichuhi Mwangi, the answer lies in preserving the region’s unity and rejecting political narratives that seek to create divisions.

“Mt Kenya should remain united because that is where our strength comes from. We should not allow anyone to divide us for their own political interests. The people of this region know what is good for them, and they will make their decision when the time comes,” Gichuhi said.