Elders changed my position on Mt Kenya split, says CS Ruku

Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku has revealed that the wisdom and intervention that led to Kirigiti solemn event, Kiambu County, persuaded him to abandon his campaign for a distinct Mt Kenya East political identity and instead champion the unity of the wider Mt Kenya region.

Ruku said the elders, drawn from different parts of the Mt Kenya region, impressed upon him that his advocacy, including equitable development and political representation, could be pursued more effectively through a united region speaking with one voice.

He said the Kirigiti gathering marked a turning point in his political advocacy, with the elders urging him to drop his push for a distinction between Mt Kenya East and Mt Kenya West and devote his efforts to building unity across the region.

He said the elders also endorsed Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as a spokesperson for the region which was among his push for a distinct Mt Kenya East following what he reffered to as vilification from some political leades. "They also called on leaders to rally behind the DP in advancing the interests of the region as a whole."

Ruku said he accepted the elders' counsel because of their experience and understanding of the region's history, arguing that 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 the region's concerns over equitable development did not require political fragmentation and could instead be addressed through a united Mt Kenya pursuing its interests collectively.

He said his change of position should therefore not be interpreted as abandoning the demand for equity, but as a change in strategy following the intervention of the elders.

Ruku's earlier campaign for greater recognition of Mt Kenya East had been driven by what he described as longstanding disparities in leadership, development, particularly in roads and other infrastructure.

He noted that the Kenya Kwanza administration under President William Ruto has begun addressing some of the concerns but a section of political leaders from the West were not happy with it. He added that this informed his campaign, pointing to road projects in Meru, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu, Mwea and Isiolo.

“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.

Ruku cited his former constituency as an example of the infrastructure deficit he had been highlighting in his push for a stronger Mt Kenya East voice.

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

It was the development gap, Ruku said, that had informed his earlier advocacy for a stronger political voice for Mt Kenya East.

He said he had also linked the region's development to its 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, however, maintained that such development demands could now be pursued without creating political divisions between the eastern and western sections of Mt Kenya.

He dismissed claims that his change of position amounted to an admission that his earlier campaign had failed, saying it was instead the result of the elders' intervention and their appeal for the region to remain united.

According to Ruku, the elders were motivated by the long-term interests of the community rather than personal or political gain as articulated by the former DP and other opposition leaders.

“They don't want to profit. They have seen it all,” he said, adding that the elders wanted to bequeath future generations a united community capable of contributing to a united Kenya.

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

Ruku said their intervention also resonated with the region's history of working together, including during the struggle for independence, when freedom fighters from different parts of Mt Kenya collaborated in the fight against colonial rule.

He said the spirit of cooperation should similarly guide the region's politics today.

The CS also renewed his criticism of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of turning what he described as a personal political dispute with Parliament into a broader community issue.

Ruku said disagreements between Gachagua and the President should not be portrayed as a conflict between the Head of State and the people of Mt Kenya.

He challenged Gachagua to engage the elders publicly and allow them to explain the decision they reached at Kirigiti rather than continue contesting their position.

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

He further accused the former Deputy President of allowing his political differences to become a matter for the wider community.

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

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

He stated that Kindiki's position as Deputy President had given 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 the region could emerge from Meru, Embu, Chuka or other parts of Mt Kenya and still command the support of the entire 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 was now to promote peace and unity across the region as advised by elders, marking a clear shift from his earlier campaign for a separate Mt Kenya East political identity.

He said the flywhisk handed to him by the elders at Kirigiti has consequently 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.