Ndia MP George Kariuki addressing residents of the Thika Town constituency at his residence at Gacharu in Kirinyaga County on August 23, 2026/ ALICE WAITHERA
Ndia MP George Kariuki has dismissed attempts to rally the region behind a single political party as a threat to voters’ freedom of choice ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Kariuki said having several political parties in the region should not be interpreted as political fragmentation, arguing that Mt Kenya residents could support different parties while remaining united around issues affecting the region.
“Nobody owns the votes of Mt Kenya. The people must be allowed to make their own choices. If a voter wants to support Party A, Party B or Party C, that is their democratic right,” Kariuki said.
His remarks appeared aimed at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has been pushing for political consolidation in Mt Kenya and calling on residents to rally behind DCP ahead of the 2027 polls.
Gachagua has argued that the region needs to speak with one political voice to strengthen its bargaining power and avoid splitting its votes among competing parties, with the DCP emerging as the vehicle through which his allies are seeking to consolidate Mt Kenya support.
Kariuki, however, maintained that political diversity did not amount to disunity, saying the region’s unity should be anchored on shared interests rather than membership in a single party.
“We can have many political parties and still remain one Mountain. Unity is about our common interests, not about forcing everybody into one political party,” he said.
He further warned against what he termed attempts to create political and administrative divisions within Mt Kenya, saying such moves could weaken the region’s influence at the national level.
Kariuki specifically criticised Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku and a section of Kiambu leaders whom he accused of advancing an agenda that could divide the region.
“Those who are trying to divide the Mountain should know that the people are watching. There is no room for politics that seeks to weaken us by creating artificial divisions among our people,” he said.
Thika Town residents during a consultative meeting with Ndia MP George Kariuki at his Gacharu residence on August 23, 2026/ ALICE WAITHERAThe MP said Mt Kenya’s political strength should be anchored on its large voter population, economic contribution and ability to negotiate collectively on matters affecting residents.
He spoke as more than 500 grassroots leaders from Thika Constituency endorsed him for a bigger national leadership role, saying the region needed a leader capable of bringing together its people while advancing its interests at the national level.
The leaders drawn from different parts of Thika made the endorsement during a political consultation meeting at Kariuki’s Gacharu residence in Ndia Constituency, Kirinyaga County.
The endorsement was led by East African Legislative Assembly MP Maina Karobia, who said Mt Kenya needed to strategically position itself ahead of the 2027 elections to maximise its political influence despite differences in political parties and leadership ambitions.
Karobia warned against efforts to create new political and administrative fault lines within the region, including calls by some Kiambu leaders for the county to be recognised as a separate region.
“We are not looking for a leader who will divide us. We are looking for a leader who can bring us together, articulate our interests and negotiate for the Mountain at the national level,” Karobia said.
He said the region’s numbers and economic muscle could only translate into political influence if its leaders found a way of working together despite belonging to different political formations.
The endorsement places Kariuki increasingly at the centre of the emerging debate over who should shape Mt Kenya’s political direction ahead of the 2027 elections, at a time when rival camps are seeking to influence the region’s leadership and bargaining strategy.
Kariuki said he was ready to take up a greater leadership responsibility if entrusted with the mandate by the people, promising to focus on peace, development and opportunities for young people while ensuring the region gets its place in national leadership.
“I am ready to take up the responsibility that the people may entrust to me. Our focus must be on peace, development, opportunities for our young people and ensuring that Mt Kenya gets its rightful place in national leadership,” he said.
