After months of keeping Kenyans guessing over his political arithmetic on Mt Kenya, President William Ruto is now set to visit the politically-charged region with his first stop-over in Mathira, the home turf of his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua.

Ruto is expected to face the mountain and confront the growing dissent in the region that was his biggest support base in the 2022 General -Election following Gachagua’s ouster.

Ahead of his visit, Ruto on Thursday met MPs from the Mt Kenya region who presented a list of projects to be commissioned during his tour.

In a message posted on his X platform, Ruto confirmed that he met the Mt Kenya MPs but disclosed that they only discussed the progress they are making in coffee, tea and dairy farming, infrastructure development, affordable housing and fresh produce markets, among others.

He said: “Constant consultation with elected leaders provides the best platform for deliberation on and consequently implementing transformative development programmes that benefit the citizens of our country. On this front, we are truly on course on our programmes anchored under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.”

He added: “We discussed the progress we are making in coffee, tea and dairy farming, infrastructure development, affordable housing and fresh produce markets, among others.

The meeting comes barely days after the MPs met Deputy President Kindiki Kithure to plan for the visit following the growing tension in the region.

In the visit slated for end of this month, the Head of State is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with leaders from the vote-rich region at Sagana State Lodge in Mathira Constituency, Nyeri County.

It marks Ruto’s first development tour of the region since Gachagua’s impeachment as Deputy President in October last year.

Besides Nyeri, Ruto will also visit Nyandarua, Meru and DP Kithure Kindiki’s Tharaka Nithi hometurf.

“Yes, I can confirm that President William Ruto will be touring our region from March 31,” Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi told People Daily by telephone.

A section of Mt Kenya leaders, led by Gachagua, have accused Ruto of sidelining those who propelled him into power.

Gachagua has criticized the President for purging Mt Kenya leaders from key positions in both the Legislature and Executive, calling it a betrayal of the region’s people.

“Our people hate lies. His intention was to use and dump us along the journey. I am urging leaders from the region not to allow themselves to be lied to. As a President, you don’t have to tell our people that you will complete development projects, you only need to finish them first and come and launch them,” Gachagua said in an interview with Kameme TV.

One of Gachagus’a allies Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto yesterday sounded a warning to Dr Ruto telling him to ready himself to explain to the voters in the region reasons behind the impeachment of Gachagua.

Wandeto says the situation has been worsened by the President’s decision kick majority of senior civil servants from the region out of key government positions, something that he should also give an explanation.

“Personally, I don’t see people from the mountain changing their mind to support Dr Ruto despite his tour. They are all behind the leadership of Gachagua. But he should not come and launch projects that he had previously launched..

Neither should he launch those launched by his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.

In preparation for Ruto’s visit, DP Prof Kithure Kindiki met with Mt Kenya MPs at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi, on March 13.

The lawmakers, drawn from Kiambu, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Nyandarua, Meru, Murang’a, Laikipia, and Nakuru counties, were briefed on the progress of development projects in the region.

Prof Kindiki highlighted key projects, including the Kenol-Marua dual carriageway, the Mau Mau roads, and major dam projects. He also outlined interventions to boost key agricultural sectors such as dairy, tea, rice, macadamia, poultry, muguka, miraa, and potatoes.

“We must guard against ridicule directed at the President for projects that are launched but never completed,” Prof Kindiki said on February 18. “Before the President engages, I will ensure we have end-to-end financing to avoid embarrassing him.”

The political realignment following Ruto’s March 7 agreement with ODM leader Raila Odinga at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) has further fuelled tensions in Mt Kenya.

The agreement, which has led to a reshuffle in parliamentary leadership, has not sat well with Gachagua.

“Let him (Ruto) come and explain why he removed Mt Kenya MPs from key parliamentary committees,” Gachagua demanded. “He is now planning to eject Principal Secretaries from our region, yet we overwhelmingly voted for him.”
Gachagua admitted that he made a strategic error by joining Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) without a formal working agreement.

“I made a big mistake trusting Ruto without signing an agreement. We went to an election using someone else’s vehicle. We believed in him because he visited our churches and quoted the Bible. In fact, Ruto and I only entered into a verbal agreement. I feel very much frustrated,” Gachagua lamented.

While some leaders criticize Ruto’s handling of Mt Kenya’s interests, others support his broader government approach. Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga welcomed Raila’s involvement in the government, calling it an opportunity for national unity.

“We should accept that Raila is now in government. This is good for development and national cohesion,” Wamatinga said in a recent radio interview.

Political analyst Dr Philip Chebunet argues that government appointments often favor those who remain loyal.

“Governments prioritize loyalty to execute their manifesto. The late President Daniel Moi ruled for 24 years without certain regions’ support. The political lines have been drawn,” noted Dr Chebunet, a lecturer at the University of Eldoret.

In an interview with People Daily, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga argued that Ruto has an uphill task in earning back the trust of the people of Mt Kenya region that overwhelmingly voted for him.