President Ruto: No one will break my Mt Kenya friendship

President William Ruto has moved to reinforce his hold on Mt Kenya politics, telling those plotting to sabotage his ties with the region that they are “day-dreaming” and engaging in empty political theatrics.

Ruto said his political bond with the region is solid and that no amount of political manoeuvring will sever the relationship he has built over the years.

“Anyone who thinks he will break the friendship that I have established with the people of Mt Kenya region is day-dreaming,” Ruto said.

Speaking when he hosted over 10,000 UDA grassroots leaders at Sagana State Lodge, the Head of State said he would walk with the region, regardless of political pressures or attempts to drive a wedge between them.

"Mimi siwachani na nyinyi...kwa vyovyote vile, muanze kujipanga mapema. Hatuwachani, tunatembea pamoja," he said.

"Urafiki unatengenezwa, unajengwa. Nyinyi mlinipatia kura zenu kwa sababu ya urafiki ambayo tumejenga. Si kulikuwa na uadui siku zingine? Sasa si tumerekebisha mpaka tukawa marafiki?”

The meeting brought together over 17,000 grassroots leaders who had been recently elected as polling centre officials in Nyeri, one of the strongest political bases in Mt. Kenya and the home county of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. 

Nyeri has emerged as a battleground within the ruling party as rifts deepen over the 2027 political succession and regional bargaining power.

Ruto’s remarks come as former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua escalates his criticism of the president, saying Mt Kenya voters were no longer obliged to support his re-election bid. 

The ex-DP argued that the region delivered overwhelming votes in 2022 and should not be taken for granted if the president does not prioritise regional interests.

While Ruto did not mention Gachagua by name, his message appeared aimed at pacifying the region.

The president further dismissed what he termed as “noises, threats, abuses, arrogance or tribalism” in politics, arguing that development and effective leadership require humility and cooperation.

“Leadership and development cannot be undertaken with noises, threats, abuses and kiburi ama ukabila. Inafanywa na unyenyekevu, uvumilivu, kujituma, na inafanywa kwa kuunganisha Wakenya na taifa lote la Kenya,” he said.

The president used the Sagana event to underscore the ongoing restructuring of UDA, describing the ruling outfit as a mass national political movement that intends to outlive a single election cycle. 

He pitched UDA as the vehicle to prosecute Kenya’s long-term transformation agenda beyond 2027.

“We are building the UDA into a truly mass national political party, one that champions Kenya’s transformation agenda in partnership with like-minded political movements across the country,” Ruto said.

“Through visionary leadership, political collaboration and unity of purpose, we are establishing a strong political unit to carry the national agenda beyond a single election cycle and to provide continuity in our development journey.”

Ruto defended his administration’s performance, saying the government had delivered on key pledges within the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda over the last three years. 

He cited efforts in infrastructure, industrialisation, agriculture, healthcare, human capital development and job creation as evidence of a steady shift toward a more productive economy.

“We remain committed to pushing forward with our plan to transform Kenya into a first-world economy through strategic investment in infrastructure, development of human capital, quality healthcare, agricultural production, industrialisation, and jobs for our young people,” he said.