EMBU, Kenya – A coalition of influential elders from Mt Kenya East has issued a scathing rebuke to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, warning him to cease attacks against his successor, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
In a declaration issued in Runyenjes and dubbed “The Runyenjes Declaration,” the elders, drawn from the Njuri Ncheke (Meru and Tharaka Nithi), Nyangi Ndiriri (Embu), and Ngome (Mbeere) councils, rallied behind Kindiki and accused Gachagua of undermining national unity for political mileage.
“Prof. Kithure Kindiki is not only the Deputy President of the Republic but also a respected Njuri Ncheke elder. He must be treated with the dignity his office and stature command,” said Adriano Aruyaru, chairman of the Meru region council of elders.
The statement, backed by over 3,000 elders from Meru, Tharaka Nithi, and Isiolo counties, marked a definitive escalation in the political rift between factions in Mt Kenya — with elders effectively drawing a line between Gachagua’s past leadership and Kindiki’s current stewardship.
Repeating Their 2024 Stance
The elders reaffirmed their earlier position captured in the Izaak Walton Declaration of September 15, 2024, where they publicly withdrew support for Gachagua and endorsed Kindiki as their regional and national representative.
“Mr. Gachagua should stop the insults. He says Kindiki’s voice lacks bass, but when Kindiki speaks, the country listens — and that is what matters,” Aruyaru said.
They further praised Parliament for the impeachment of Gachagua and lauded the swift endorsement of Prof. Kindiki as Deputy President, calling it a “restoration of dignity and order” in national leadership.
Elders: We Only Work With the Government of the Day
In a clear message to political players aiming to court Mt Kenya East ahead of 2027, the elders emphasized that the Njuri Ncheke and allied councils only recognize the current administration.
“Whoever becomes president becomes our president. We do not play opposition politics. Wait for the ballot in 2027,” said Aruyaru.
Unity, Development, and Caution Against Division
The declaration praised Kindiki’s leadership in his first eight months, noting his efforts to unify the region, drive grassroots development, and maintain discipline in public service.
“We will defend our Deputy President from all political attacks. When you fight Kindiki, you fight all of us,” they warned.
The elders also called on Kindiki to continue bridging the historical gap between Mt Kenya East and West and urged him to maintain his focus on national cohesion while supporting President Ruto.
The latest condemnation adds fuel to the growing rivalry between Gachagua and Kindiki, a clash that has split Kenya Kwanza loyalists across Mt Kenya.
Gachagua has emerged as a vocal critic of Kindiki’s leadership, especially targeting his countrywide economic empowerment fundraisers.
He recently dismissed the harambees as “populist stunts” done at the expense of government service delivery.
But Kindiki has defended the campaigns, saying they are designed to uplift small-scale traders and support Kenya’s bottom-up economic model.
In a recent response, Kindiki accused his predecessor of being “drunk on power and detached from reality.”
“Empty threats and personal insults will not distract us from the work Kenyans elected us to do,” he said in a pointed speech last week.
