NAIROBI, Kenya — Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku says he has abandoned his campaign for a distinct Mt Kenya East political identity after elders at a Kirigiti meeting urged leaders from the region to work together as one.
Ruku said the intervention at Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu County persuaded him that concerns over equitable development and political representation could be pursued more effectively through a united Mt Kenya region.
The shift came after a gathering of elders from the Kikuyu, Embu, Meru and other communities in the region, who called for unity and endorsed Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as their spokesperson and representative in advancing regional interests.
Ruku Gives Up Mt Kenya East Campaign
Ruku said his earlier push for greater recognition of Mt Kenya East was driven by concerns over what he described as disparities in development, leadership and political representation.
He had argued that the eastern part of the region, comprising areas including Meru, Embu and Tharaka-Nithi, needed a stronger political voice.
However, he said the elders made it clear that the region’s development concerns did not require political separation between Mt Kenya East and West.
“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.
Elders Endorse Kindiki as Spokesperson
According to Ruku and reports from the Kirigiti meeting, the elders agreed that Kindiki should serve as a spokesperson for the wider Mt Kenya region.
The elders’ declaration described Kindiki as a representative who should advance the region’s interests and aspirations.
Ruku said he accepted the decision because of the elders’ experience and understanding of the region’s history.
He said their intervention should not be interpreted as abandoning the push for equitable development, but rather as changing the strategy for pursuing those demands.
Ruku Returns Symbolic Axe
The change in position was symbolised at Kirigiti when Ruku returned an axe that had become associated with his campaign for a distinct Mt Kenya East political identity.
The elders subsequently handed him a flywhisk and tasked him with promoting reconciliation and unity.
The Star reported that Kindiki had urged Ruku to abandon divisive politics and work with elders to promote unity among the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru communities.
Ruku said the flywhisk would now represent his new message of unity, reconciliation and a common political voice.
Ruku Cites Development Gaps
Ruku said his earlier advocacy had been informed by development disparities that he believed had affected parts of Mt Kenya East for years.
He cited roads and other infrastructure projects in Meru, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu, Mwea and Isiolo as examples of areas where he said development needed greater attention.
The CS also referred to his former constituency, saying it had only 37 kilometres of tarmacked roads when he was elected MP in 2022.
He said about 20 kilometres had since been completed, while another 45 kilometres were under construction.
Ruku attributed the ongoing projects to the administration of President William Ruto, saying the government was addressing some of the development concerns that had informed his earlier campaign.
Ruku Links Politics to Development
Ruku said his earlier campaign had also been linked to the region’s political support for 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.
He now says the region can pursue development and political interests collectively without creating a political divide between its eastern and western sections.
The change comes as political parties and leaders intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Ruku Criticises Gachagua
Ruku also renewed his criticism of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of turning political disagreements with the President into a broader community issue.
Ruku argued that disagreements between Gachagua and Ruto should not be portrayed as a conflict between the President and the people of Mt Kenya.
He challenged Gachagua to engage the elders and hear their position on regional unity.
“Stop making the matters of your own inadequacies to be matters of a community,” Ruku said.
Gachagua has separately criticised efforts to promote a distinction between Mt Kenya East and West, saying the communities share historical and cultural ties. His remarks are his political position and do not establish the existence or cause of any broader community consensus.
Ruku Backs Regional Unity Under Kindiki
Ruku said the region should now work together under Kindiki’s leadership rather than allow political differences to deepen divisions.
He argued that future presidents and deputy presidents from the region could emerge from Meru, Embu, Chuka or other parts of Mt Kenya and still receive support across the wider region.
“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 said his immediate priority would be promoting peace and unity across Mt Kenya.
He also announced plans for what he called a peace caravan from Githurai through Kenol to Kirinyaga, saying the initiative would take the unity message beyond the Kirigiti meeting.
The shift marks a clear change from Ruku’s earlier campaign for a distinct Mt Kenya East political identity towards a broader call for regional unity and reconciliation.
