Ruto, Kindiki tour Kirinyaga County amid dissenting voices in Mount Kenya region
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, June 22, 2026President William Ruto on Sunday landed in Kirinyaga County to officially launch the Coffee Revival Programme, an initiative aimed at revitalising the coffee sub-sector and increasing farmers’ earnings.
Speaking at the function on Monday, June 22, 2026, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru assured President Ruto of the region’s continued support despite increasing criticism from some leaders and opposition figures.
While welcoming the president, Waiguru reaffirmed her support for Ruto’s administration despite the mounting political pressure in the region.
“Hapo ndipo tupo na hatutaanguka anguka ama hatutashuka shuka,” Waiguru said.
The Head of State was accompanied by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and several leaders from the Mount Kenya region, including Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire and Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu.
The visit comes against the backdrop of growing political discontent in the region, with a section of leaders increasingly distancing themselves from the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Waiguru’s remarks come as divisions within the region’s leadership continue to emerge, with the latest fallout involving Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata, who recently announced his break with the ruling administration.
Kang’ata cited what he described as the government’s failure to implement policies that favour ordinary Kenyans, the high cost of living and what he termed punitive taxation measures.
The Kirinyaga tour is seen as part of President Ruto’s efforts to consolidate support in the Mount Kenya region, which played a key role in his 2022 election victory but has recently witnessed growing criticism of his administration from some elected leaders and sections of the public.
Kang’ata on Ruto’s re-election
Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata has said President William Ruto could still win re-election without the support of the Mount Kenya region, arguing that Kenya’s political landscape is no longer defined solely by ethnic voting patterns.
Speaking on the prospects of the 2027 General Election in an interview with Kameme TV on Monday, June 22, 2026, Kang’ata noted that while Mount Kenya remains an important voting bloc, opposition to Ruto’s administration extends beyond the region and is driven largely by dissatisfaction with government policies.
According to the governor, many Kenyans who are unhappy with the current administration are found not only in Mount Kenya but also in other parts of the country, including the Nyanza region and elsewhere. He said the concerns being raised by citizens cut across regional and ethnic lines because government policies affect all Kenyans regardless of where they come from.
“There is a possibility, honestly speaking, because Kenya is large, but if you look at those angered by Ruto’s administration, they are not only from Mount Kenya; there are other regions opposed to his re-election, including Nyanza and other regions,” Irungu said.