Ruto: I personally sought Embu votes, nobody campaigned for me
By Kenneth Mwenda, July 5, 2026President William Ruto has pushed back against claims that political leaders from the Mt Kenya region delivered votes to him during the 2022 General Election, insisting that he personally campaigned in Embu and directly asked residents to support him.
Ruto spoke on Sunday, July 5, 2026, during a church service at the Full Gospel Churches of Kenya in Gatunduri, Embu County. His remarks came at a time of growing political tension between him and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over control of the Mt Kenya voting bloc ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Addressing the congregation, the president reminded Embu residents about his campaign visits to the county during the 2022 race.
“Mimi nilikuja hapa nikaomba kura zenu, mnakumbuka? Mliniona nikiomba kura zenu? Si nilikuja hapa Embu nikaomba kura? Nikakuja hapa kanisani nikawaambia mniombee? Si mkanipatia kura zenu, ama?” Ruto said.
The president then criticised leaders whom he accused of claiming credit for his victory in the region.
“Mimi naskia kuna watu wengine kwa majivuno na kiburi wanasema mimi sijakuja kuwaomba kura ati wao ndio waliniombea,” he added.
Ruto also asked Embu residents whether they voted for him because of his direct engagement with them or because of influence from other politicians.
“Mimi nauliza nyinyi watu wa Embu, mlinipigia kura, kwa sababu nilikuja kuomba, ama?” he posed.
He concluded by warning leaders against arrogance and contempt towards voters.
“So watu watulize mboli, na kiburi na madharau wapunguze,” the president said.
Although Ruto did not mention Gachagua by name, his remarks appeared to respond directly to repeated statements by the former deputy president, who has maintained that he played the biggest role in mobilising Mt Kenya voters behind Kenya Kwanza in 2022.
Gachagua warns Ruto
Since his impeachment in 2024, Gachagua has intensified attacks on Ruto and has repeatedly claimed that the president has lost political support across the mountain region.
On Saturday, July 4, 2026, just a day before Ruto’s Embu visit, Gachagua claimed that the president would not manage even 1,000 votes in any Mt Kenya constituency during the 2027 elections.
“Hapa mlimani, there is no constituency ambayo Ruto atafikisha kura elfu moja,” Gachagua said while hosting leaders at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri County.
Earlier in March 2026, Gachagua had also declared that if Ruto secured five per cent of Mt Kenya votes in 2027, then he would no longer consider himself “man enough”.
The exchange between the two leaders has reopened debate over who was mainly responsible for Kenya Kwanza’s dominance in Mt Kenya during the 2022 election.
The region overwhelmingly backed Ruto against former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, giving Kenya Kwanza millions of votes that proved critical in the presidential race.
During the campaigns, Gachagua emerged as one of Ruto’s strongest allies in Central Kenya. He led rallies across Nyeri, Kiambu, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Embu, Meru and Tharaka Nithi, presenting himself as the region’s political mobiliser.
Former Attorney General Justin Muturi later revealed that internal political calculations influenced Ruto’s choice of running mate in 2022.
According to Muturi, leaders within the United Democratic Alliance wanted a deputy president candidate from Mt Kenya who could consolidate support in the region.
Muturi said Ruto believed Gachagua had stronger political influence than the current Deputy President, Kithure Kindiki.
“Picking Kindiki would have been political suicide. Rigathi Gachagua had the political base and ability to deliver votes from Mt Kenya, and indeed, that is exactly what happened,” Muturi said earlier this year.
Those remarks strengthened Gachagua’s argument that he was central to Ruto’s victory in the mountain region.
Ruto’s latest comments in Embu, however, suggest the president wants to reshape that political narrative by arguing that voters backed him because of his direct campaigns and promises rather than regional political brokers.
Ruto defends government record
During the church service, Ruto also defended his government’s performance and highlighted several projects and reforms his administration has implemented since taking office.
He said fertiliser prices had reduced and coffee reforms had improved earnings for farmers.
“We talked about agriculture; you know, the price of fertiliser now, it has reduced. We talked about improving coffee prices, which we have done,” Ruto said.
The president also highlighted progress in the education sector, saying his administration had employed 100,000 teachers in four years.
“We have made tremendous strides in education. I have employed 100,000 teachers in four years,” he stated.
Ruto further said the education budget had risen from Ksh500 billion in 2022 to Ksh734 billion in the current financial year.
He told residents that his administration would continue returning to the region to assess development progress and fulfil campaign promises.
“Come next year, we will come to take stock of what we have achieved. We will have a test,” the president said.
The Embu visit marked Ruto’s second church engagement in the Mt Kenya region within a week following a similar visit to Meru County during his recent development tour.
His continued presence in the region reflects the growing political importance of Mt Kenya ahead of the 2027 general election.