Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, in what appears to be an about-turn, has changed his hardline position of being at loggerheads with the President William Ruto-led government, especially after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was impeached in October 2024.

Speaking in Kieni Sub-County on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Kahiga stated that Ruto was welcomed in Nyeri, and that he was at liberty to visit the area as much as he wished.

Kahiga, a strong ally of Gachagua in the region, equally stated that the people of Nyeri must be in the government to realise development brought about by the state.

“Lazima tukuwe ndani ya serikali na tuletewe maendeleo yetu. Tunataka aje tena na tena na atuletee maendeleo,” Kahiga said.

Loosely translated to: (We must be inside the government to benefit from the development projects. We would like the President to visit us more often and bring us development projects.)

Skipped State House meeting

On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, Kahiga skipped a strategy meeting at State House, where all other Mount Kenya governors attended on the invitation of Ruto ahead of the regional tour.

Kahiga would later post on his socials that day that he was launching programmes relating to scouting activities in the area, much to the chagrin of Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi, who warned him against skipping such crucial meetings.

“We are telling our governor that next time when he is invited to a meeting by the president to discuss development matters affecting our people, then he must go,” Wamumbi stated.

“Next time, we want to see you seated with the other governors discussing the development agenda of our people because you are our governor. When the president calls you, we want to see you representing us as the people of Nyeri.”

Clear departure

The toning down is a clear departure from the demeanour of the Nyeri governor who had threatened regional leaders appointed by Ruto, following the impeachment of Gachagua, not to set foot back in the Mountain.

Kahiga hinted that any person who accepts an appointment by Ruto would be labelled a traitor in the community since the region should rally behind Gachagua to take back leadership of the country in 2027.

Ruto, on his Nyeri tour, was accompanied by local MPs, cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries, and senior government officials from the Mount Kenya region.

“As the people of Nyeri, we want less politics and more development projects,” Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga said during the tour on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.