Ruku Abandons Mt Kenya East Push After Elders’ Kirigiti Intervention

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku says he has abandoned his campaign for a distinct Mt Kenya East political identity following an intervention by elders at the Kirigiti solemn event in Kiambu County.

Ruku said the elders, drawn from different parts of the Mt Kenya region, persuaded him that concerns over equitable development, political representation and resource allocation could be pursued more effectively through a united region.

According to the CS, the Kirigiti gathering marked a turning point in his political advocacy, with elders urging leaders to abandon efforts to create political distinctions between Mt Kenya East and Mt Kenya West.

Ruku said the elders also endorsed Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as a spokesperson for the wider region and called on leaders to rally behind him in advancing Mt Kenya's interests.

Ruku cites elders' counsel

Ruku said he accepted the elders' advice because of their experience and understanding of the region's history.

He described them as custodians of Mt Kenya's heritage and said their overriding concern was to leave future generations with a united community.

“It is the wisdom of the elders who are the custodians of our heritage, our history and our future. And when they sit and agree on a common direction, then you should be able to listen to them,” Ruku said during a local television interview.

The CS said the elders had made it clear that demands for equitable development did not require political fragmentation.

He maintained that abandoning the Mt Kenya East campaign did not amount to giving up on the region's development demands, but rather represented a change in strategy following the elders' intervention.

Development concerns behind earlier campaign

Ruku said his earlier advocacy for greater recognition of Mt Kenya East had been driven by what he described as longstanding disparities in leadership and development, particularly in road infrastructure.

He said the Kenya Kwanza administration under President William Ruto had begun addressing some of those concerns, although he acknowledged that some political leaders from Mt Kenya West were unhappy with the approach.

Ruku cited road projects in Meru, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu, Mwea and Isiolo as examples of what he described as increased government investment in the region.

“The government of President William Ruto is ensuring that we have development projects which we have been denied for many years by previous governments,” he said.

The CS also cited his former constituency as an example of the infrastructure deficit that informed his earlier campaign.

He said that when he was elected MP in 2022, the constituency had only 37 kilometres of tarmacked roads despite its geographical size. According to Ruku, 20 kilometres had since been completed under the Kenya Kwanza administration, while another 45 kilometres were under construction.

Ruku said the development gap had influenced his call for a stronger political voice for Mt Kenya East.

Ruku links regional unity to political support

The CS also linked his earlier advocacy to the region's political support for President Ruto.

“That's why I've been championing and saying at the top of my voice that Mt Kenya East would definitely give President William Ruto two terms,” he said.

Ruku said development demands could now be pursued without creating political divisions between the eastern and western sections of Mt Kenya.

He rejected suggestions that his change of position represented a failure of his earlier campaign, saying it was instead a response to the advice given by elders at Kirigiti.

According to Ruku, the elders were motivated by the long-term interests of the community rather than personal political gain.

“They don't want to profit. They have seen it all,” he said.

He said some of those involved in the Kirigiti process had previously served as Cabinet ministers, legislators and professionals, giving them extensive experience in public affairs.

Ruku invokes Mt Kenya's history

Ruku said the elders' call for unity was consistent with the region's history of political cooperation.

He pointed to the struggle for independence, when freedom fighters from different parts of Mt Kenya participated in the wider campaign against colonial rule.

The CS said the same spirit of cooperation should guide the region's politics today.

He said Mt Kenya should pursue its interests collectively rather than allow political disagreements to create divisions between its different communities.

Ruku criticises Gachagua

Ruku also renewed his criticism of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of turning his political differences with President Ruto into what he described as a broader community dispute.

The CS argued that disagreements between individual politicians should not be portrayed as a conflict between the President and the entire Mt Kenya region.

He challenged Gachagua to engage the elders publicly and allow them to explain the position reached at Kirigiti.

Ruku said the elders had acted independently and that their decision should be respected.

“Stop making the matters of your own inadequacies to be matters of a community,” Ruku said.

Ruku backs Kindiki as regional spokesperson

The CS said the region should work together under Kindiki's leadership rather than allow political differences to deepen divisions within Mt Kenya or between the region and the national government.

He argued that Kindiki's position as Deputy President offered Mt Kenya East an opportunity to demonstrate that political leadership of the region need not always come from Mt Kenya West.

Ruku said future presidents and deputy presidents from Mt Kenya could emerge from Meru, Embu, Chuka or other parts of the region and still receive support across Mt Kenya.

“It’s not necessary that a Deputy President must come from Mt Kenya West or a President must come from Mt Kenya West. He can come or she can come from Meru, from Embu, from Chuka and get supported by the entire region,” he said.

Ruku announces peace caravan

Ruku said his immediate priority was now to promote peace and unity across the region, in line with the elders' advice.

He said the flywhisk handed to him by the elders at Kirigiti had become a symbol of his new message: a united Mt Kenya pursuing equity, development and political interests through a common voice.

“My first task is a peace caravan from Githurai through Kenol to Kirinyaga, and you will see this soon,” he said.

Ruku's remarks mark a shift from his earlier advocacy for a distinct Mt Kenya East political identity towards a broader message of regional unity, while maintaining his call for equitable development and representation.