Former Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has disowned a purported joint statement circulating online that appears to call for Mt Kenya East to chart its own political course ahead of the 2027 elections.

Muturi said the document, which bears his name and a signature attributed to him, was fake and fraudulent.

“I did not author it, I did not sign it, and I did not consent to its publication or circulation. The signature attributed to me has been forged,” Muturi said.

The document, dated September 2, purported to be a joint press statement by political leaders from Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi counties.

Titled “Enough is Enough: Mt Kenya East Will Not Be Used, Silenced, Dissolved or Dictated To, We Chart Our Own Course in 2027,” the statement claimed that leaders from the region were determined to independently determine their political direction ahead of the 2027 elections.

It also appeared to reject calls for Mt Kenya East parties to dissolve and join the proposed Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), while criticising what it described as the political marginalisation of the region.

However, Muturi, who is listed among the signatories, said he had nothing to do with the document.

He accused unnamed government actors of attempting to exploit political differences through misinformation and forgery.

“We all know where such tactics come from,” Muturi said, claiming that those in government had become uncomfortable with what he described as growing political awakening among Kenyans and stronger opposition voices.

He accused the alleged perpetrators of resorting to “propaganda, misinformation and now outright forgery” to manipulate the public and manufacture disagreements among political leaders.

Muturi said his political views would only be communicated through channels under his control.

“My political position will never be communicated through forged letters or anonymous social media accounts. I will continue to speak for myself, and my position will always be communicated through my official channels,” he said.

He urged Kenyans, journalists and political leaders to disregard the document and avoid further circulating it.

“Anyone who encounters this document should treat it with the contempt it deserves and refrain from giving further circulation to false information,” Muturi said.

The controversy comes amid renewed political activity in Mt Kenya, with leaders from the eastern counties increasingly seeking a distinct voice in negotiations over the region’s political future ahead of 2027.

The purported statement had listed several prominent leaders, including Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, former Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi, former Cabinet secretary Mithika Linturi, former governor Kawira Mwangaza, former Cabinet secretary Peter Munya and Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti, alongside Muturi.