Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed the endorsement of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as the spokesman of the Mt Kenya region, saying attempts by President William Ruto’s allies to split the mountain have failed.
Gachagua was reacting to a meeting of Mt Kenya elders at Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu on Saturday, where Kindiki was endorsed to represent the interests of the region.
The meeting also saw Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku return a symbolic axe that had been presented to him during an earlier meeting, in a gesture that the elders said was meant to promote unity.
But Gachagua gave the gesture a different interpretation.
“I have woken up to the happenings back home that the two mischievous characters assigned by Mr William Ruto to divide the mountain have given up after the residents of the region rejected their attempts in total,” Gachagua said.
He named Kindiki and Ruku as the two officials he accused of spearheading efforts to divide Mt Kenya.
“The efforts to divide the mountain using stolen cash for the last two years have failed flat,” he said.
Gachagua said the return of the axe was an admission that the effort to split the region into Mt Kenya East and West had failed.
“I have noted that the assembled ‘elders’, at a cost of Ksh3,000 each, were given back a symbolic axe by the two agents of division as an admission of their frustrations and inability to divide a community that has lived together for centuries and shares common values, language, culture, and beliefs,” he said.
The elders at the Kirigiti meeting, however, used the occasion to endorse Kindiki as their spokesman and representative.
“We hereby endorse and mandate Kithure Kindiki to serve as our spokesperson and representative in advancing the interests and aspirations of the Mount Kenya Region,” the elders said.
The declaration was signed by representatives of several elders’ organisations representing the Agikuyu, Ameru, Aembu and Ambeere communities.
Kindiki called for unity among the communities, saying political differences should not be allowed to undermine their shared interests.
“My friend, let's preach unity and reach out to all elders and preach unity; we need to be one as Gema,” Kindiki said.
The meeting is part of a broader push by Ruto’s allies to consolidate support in Mt Kenya, a region that played a major role in his election in 2022 but has since become a major political battleground.
Kindiki, who comes from Tharaka Nithi, has in recent months emerged as a central figure in the government’s efforts to engage the region.
His supporters have sought to present him as a bridge between Mt Kenya East and West, while Ruku has openly pushed back against what he describes as the historical dominance of the western side of the region.
Ruku has argued that Mt Kenya East has supported the wider region politically without receiving a corresponding share of political recognition and development.
He has also rejected claims that his activities amount to an attempt to divide the mountain.
“A personal problem should not be turned into a community problem,” Ruku said recently, in reference to Gachagua’s political differences with Ruto.
Ruku has also defended Kindiki’s position in government, saying there was no vacancy in the Deputy President’s office.
“There is no vacuum in the office of the Deputy President. Prof Kithure Kindiki is comfortably occupying that seat and doing his work,” he said.
The debate has drawn criticism from politicians and activists who fear that the East-West narrative could weaken the region politically.
Former Kirinyaga Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici and other leaders have accused Ruto’s allies of attempting to divide Mt Kenya, while Ruto’s supporters have maintained that the region is being given greater attention through government projects and appointments.
Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria also criticised the choice of Kirigiti as the venue for the elders’ meeting, arguing that the site has historic significance because of its association with Kenya’s independence struggle.
“It is the worst choice of venue for a divisive agenda,” Kuria said, describing the gathering as a “Pasua Mlima” conference.
Gachagua, who has positioned himself as one of the leading opponents of Ruto ahead of the 2027 election, said the alleged effort to split Mt Kenya would not stop with the East-West debate.
“Having failed to divide Mt Kenya into the imaginary West and East, the mountaineers are aware of new efforts to divide the former Central Province,” he said.
“This too will fail. Our people are too intelligent to fall for such innuendos.”
Gachagua also accused Ruto of pursuing three political objectives: dividing the Mt Kenya vote, splitting the Linda Mwananchi movement and causing divisions within the United Alternative Government.
“His strategy is threefold: divide the mountain vote, split Linda Mwananchi, and cause conflict within the United Alternative Government,” he said.
“The first one has failed, and the other two shall fail miserably.”
He did not provide evidence for the alleged strategy.
Gachagua also urged his political allies to remain alert against what he described as attempts by Ruto’s allies and covert security agencies to infiltrate and disrupt their political movement.
