Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru have said they will work together to rally the Mt Kenya region to support President William Ruto’s re-election.

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They urged residents to back the government so as to access development benefits, saying they overwhelmingly voted it into office in 2022.

Speaking at Kagumo area in Kirinyaga Central Constituency after inspecting the ongoing construction of the Kagumo-Mununga-Kiamaina-Kianjagi road, Kindiki urged Kenyans to reject what he termed empty rhetoric from the opposition, saying those seeking to unseat President Ruto have no development track record.

Using an analogy, the Deputy President likened leaving government after elections to building a house and abandoning it just before occupation, cautioning that such a move would deny residents the benefits of their electoral choices.

He also called for respect among leaders, condemning what he described as a growing culture of political insults.

During the visit, which combined development progress with political messaging on unity and continuity, Kindiki also commissioned the Gitaro Last Mile Electricity Supply Project.

He announced that 7,500 additional households in Kirinyaga would be connected to electricity for Sh440 million, with a broader target of universal household connectivity within the next two to three years to support enterprise and job creation.

Kindiki also highlighted major infrastructure investments, including a Sh29 billion road project expected to deliver 510 kilometres of tarmac roads across the county, noting that such large-scale development would not have been possible without the county’s alignment with the national government.

He further pointed to the establishment of a County Aggregation and Industrial Park, co-funded at Sh500 million, as an initiative aimed at enhancing value addition and boosting farmers’ incomes.

The visit, which drew large crowds, saw Waiguru outline her administration’s track record, saying the county had recorded major progress in key sectors, and urging residents to remain aligned with the government.

She said the opposition had been engaging in divisive rhetoric rather than development, and called on residents to support what she described as tangible progress.

Waiguru said her leadership had been guided by the people’s mandate, including their decision to align Kirinyaga with the administration of President Ruto.

Reaffirming her political position, the governor said she would not abandon the government, adding that her focus remains on delivering development and securing the county’s interests at the national level.

Both levels of government, she noted, have partnered in the establishment of markets and the development of the Sagana Agro-Industrial City.

Drawing on historical precedent, Waiguru said the Mt Kenya region has consistently benefited from being in government even in past administrations, and warned that shifting to the opposition could stall development.

She urged residents to remain politically strategic, noting that national leadership is determined by a broad voter base beyond the region.

Waiguru also endorsed Kirinyaga Central MP Gachoki Gitari for the governor’s position.

She expressed confidence that the next governor would come from the ruling party, which she said would ensure ongoing projects are completed.

Aligning with the opposition, she warned, would risk reversing the gains already made.

In a show of solidarity, the two leaders pledged to work together to ensure that the Deputy President’s position remains in the Mt Kenya region.

Waiguru has in recent past indicated her interest in the deputy presidency, saying her political experience and development record speak for themselves, pitting her against Kindiki.

Earlier this year, she met thousands of Murang’a women at Rurii Stadium in Mathioya Constituency where she sought their support.