Former Deputy President and Democracy for the Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua has come out strongly to rebuke President William Ruto, who he says has been keenly trying to politically divide the Mount Kenya region into East and West.

Taking it to his social media handles on Monday, March 9, 2026, Gachagua has termed the move an exercise in futility by warning that efforts to remap the political landscape. Gachagua has accused the president of using his deputy, Kithure Kindiki, in pushing the scheme to divide the region.

“Mr William Ruto, your schemes to divide the mountain into West and East are an exercise in futility. Using ‘Soprano’ to divide the mountain is like using a razor blade to cut down a Mugumo tree,” Gachagua’s statement read.

In a metaphorical statement, Gachagua has stressed that the mechanisms that are being employed to undertake this political restructuring are simply ineffective in terms of engaging the intricate social and cultural realities of the Mount Kenya region.

Gachagua calls out Kindiki

The former deputy president also attacked the deputy president Kithure Kindiki, saying that he was actively advancing the agenda of the president. Gachagua says that Kindiki is carrying orders to split the Mount Kenya political region into two because the strategy, according to him, would undermine one of the most powerful electoral constituencies in Kenya.

Gachagua has dismissed the efforts as a politically instigated action that was aimed at hobbling opposition voices in the area and forming the grip of the existing administration.

The statements of Gachagua are particularly timely about the regional politics, with the United Alternative government having just taken a series of political tours in the counties of Meru and Tharaka Nithi.

The visits have been largely seen as a move to take political control in Mount Kenya East in preparation for the 2027 campaigns, an indication that political manoeuvres are already taking shape in the region.

This criticism by Gachagua illustrates the mounting tension between opposing political interests in the Mount Kenya region and also an emphasis on the strategic value of the region in influencing the election results of the country.

In the run-up to the 2027 elections, leaders as well as the electorate will be keen on how such events affect political relationships and the unity of the Mount Kenya communities at large. Gachagua slams Ruto over efforts to divide Mount Kenya into East and West regions