Advocate Ndegwa Njiru has come out strongly to dismiss a proposal by Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku suggesting the division of the Mount Kenya region into two blocs—Mount Kenya East and Mount Kenya West.

Speaking during a radio interview on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, Njiru described the proposal as reckless and unworthy of public attention, urging Kenyans to deny it airtime. He argued that the Cabinet Secretary lacks the mandate and moral authority to advance ideas that are divisive or revolutionary in nature.

Njiru questioned how a Cabinet Secretary serving under President William Ruto, who has repeatedly preached national unity and inclusivity, particularly following the formation of a broad-based coalition government with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), could advance suggestions that threaten to fracture the Mount Kenya region instead of fostering cohesion.

“President William Ruto has being speaking of inclusivity, and he entered into a partnership with ODM with him aiming of a national agenda. How come the CS who serves under him is engaging in tribal talks?”

He accused the broad-based government of double standards, noting the contradiction of championing inclusivity while allowing senior officials to propagate divisive narratives. Njiru further questioned why former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is routinely castigated and branded a tribal leader whenever he speaks on Mount Kenya affairs, yet figures such as Ruku face no similar scrutiny.

The outspoken advocate maintained that Ruku’s proposal is doomed to fail, insisting that Mount Kenya has remained united since the pre-independence era. He noted that communities within the region historically stood together in the struggle against colonial rule and have long shared a common identity.

Njiru also dismissed the proposal on political grounds, arguing that Ruku lacks the influence within Mount Kenya to mobilise support for such a move. According to him, the region remains firmly united under a single rallying call—the “Wantam” movement.

Ruku’s words

His remarks come days after CS Ruku suggested that Mount Kenya East should detach itself from the rest of the region, claiming it has been politically marginalised by the western side, which has produced three presidents without delivering meaningful development to the eastern bloc.

“We the people of Mount Kenya East, when we are a heartbeat away from the presidency, is when the government is bad, and then we dont want to be part of the mountain.”