Kuria warns politicians against ‘Mt Kenya bashing’ ahead of 2027

Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has cautioned politicians against what he termed as outdated tactics of attacking the Mt Kenya region to win political mileage in their respective strongholds.

He warned that the strategy is ill-advised and potentially dangerous ahead of the 2027 General Election.

In a statement posted on his X account, Kuria argued that “Mt Kenya bashing” was a political tool that may have worked in the past when the region fielded a presidential candidate, but circumstances have since changed.

“I have noticed that some ignoramuses have continued to use Mt Kenya bashing as a tool to prop up their malnourished standing in their own backyards…. Unfortunately, the ignoramuses have not upgraded their software,” he said.

Kuria maintained that the region is no longer aggressively pursuing top executive positions and is instead focused on strategic political partnerships.

He stated that it is ill-advised and even dangerous to continue attacking Mt Kenya, saying the region does not want to be president, deputy president or even prime cabinet secretary.

According to Kuria, the Mountain will play a decisive but calm role in the next election cycle.

“Mt Kenya people, come 2027, will casually walk to the voting booths, pour some cool seven million votes to one candidate from another community and go back to ‘peel potatoes and chew miraa.’”

His remarks come at a time when political realignments are beginning to take shape within President William Ruto’s broad alliance, with succession arithmetic already dominating conversations two years before the polls.

However, former Nyamira Senator Mong’are Okong’o dismissed Kuria’s position, questioning his political consistency.

“A man whose wall keeps changing portraits should first ask whether it is loyalty or survival hanging there. Moses Kuria cannot preach ideological clarity while moving from the shadow of Mwai Kibaki to Uhuru Kenyatta and now orbiting William Ruto,” he said.

The debate unfolded even as Deputy President Kithure Kindiki declared the contest over the 2027 running mate slot a “closed chapter,” signalling what observers interpret as an attempt to consolidate support within the Mt Kenya region.

Leaders from the region have insisted that Kindiki must retain his position after next year’s election.

They were reacting to remarks by ODM leader Oburu Oginga Odinga, who indicated that the party would be seeking the deputy presidency in any pre-election arrangement with Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance.

Oburu made it clear that ODM would bargain for executive authority, explicitly including the deputy presidency, should formal negotiations crystallise, arguing that any cooperation framework must be based on equitable power sharing.