NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 2 – Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of portraying the Mt Kenya community as people who cannot keep their word by opposing President William Ruto before the end of his constitutional tenure.
Speaking after a Sunday Mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral in Meru Town, Ruku said leaders from the Mt Kenya region had campaigned across the country asking Kenyans to support a political arrangement under which Uhuru would serve two terms before handing over to Ruto for another two constitutional terms.
He questioned why Uhuru and Gachagua were now, in his view, seeking to mobilise the region against President Ruto before the completion of his second term.
“They went across the country asking Kenyans to support this arrangement. Why are they now making the people of Mt Kenya appear as though they cannot honour a promise they made before the nation?” Ruku posed.
Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku speaks at a church service.
The Cabinet Secretary further accused the two leaders of advancing what he described as false claims that the Kenya Kwanza administration had sidelined the Mt Kenya region, arguing that such narratives were intended to create divisions and serve personal political interests.
Ruku also said Gachagua was turning his impeachment into a regional issue, maintaining that the former Deputy President was removed from office through a constitutional process after Members of Parliament found that he had failed to discharge his duties effectively.
He urged Gachagua not to drag the entire Mt Kenya region into what he termed as personal political battles.
The Cabinet Secretary maintained that President Ruto had no dispute with the Mt Kenya region, arguing that many of the country’s most influential ministries, state departments and senior government positions are held by leaders from Mt Kenya West, while Deputy President Kithure Kindiki occupies the highest office currently held by a leader from Mt Kenya East.
Ruku further accused Gachagua and some leaders from Mt Kenya West of undermining Deputy President Kindiki through persistent criticism while at the same time urging residents to abandon the Kenya Kwanza administration.
He said such attacks were divisive and insisted that Mt Kenya East would remain firmly within government and continue supporting President Ruto’s development agenda.
“Mt Kenya East will remain in government. We shall continue supporting President Ruto because our priority is development, unity and ensuring our people benefit from government programmes,” he said.
Ruku further argued that President Ruto’s administration had continued implementing development projects across the country, including in parts of Mt Kenya East that he said had previously been neglected, citing Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data.
He urged residents to reject what he termed misinformation and expressed confidence that the Mt Kenya region would back President Ruto’s re-election bid in the 2027 General Election.