Deputy President Kithure Kindiki inspecting a project in Meru on Saturday/ HANDOUT
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has intensified his political charm offensive in the Mt Kenya East backyard in an apparent high-stakes assignment to deliver the region for President William Ruto's reelection.
For weeks, Kindiki has sustained a series of meetings and development tours across the three counties of Tharaka Nithi, Meru and Embu.
The move has put him at the centre of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s efforts to consolidate its support in the region in the wake of fierce competition from the opposition.
Kindiki has been meeting elders, businesspeople, youth, women and grassroots leaders, seeking endorsements for Ruto while simultaneously using government projects to make a case for the administration’s record.
The intensity of the mobilisation has fuelled speculation that Kindiki has been given a specific political task by his boss — deliver Mt Kenya East and help Ruto make significant inroads into Mt Kenya West.
“The deputy president is going to deliver Mt Kenya East and eat into Mt Kenya West. That is for sure. We are committed and determined to achieve our target,” Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi said.
According to Mundigi, Ruto’s development projects, his ‘love’ for the region, coupled with Kindiki’s popularity in his backyard, would guarantee the President millions of votes.
“We are targeting three to four million votes for the President in Mt Kenya. That will be a reality,” Mundigi said.
The assignment comes amid fierce competition from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has sustained his political onslaught against Ruto and Kindiki across the Mt Kenya region, both East and West.
Ruto’s popularity in Mt Kenya, especially Mt Kenya West, which voted overwhelmingly for him in the 2022 polls, has seemingly been diminishing since his fallout with Gachagua.
Recently, Ruto suffered a humiliating defeat to Gachagua in a parliamentary by-election in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua county, exposing his fading popularity in the region.
Gachagua has vowed to lock Ruto out of the vote-rich region, turning the Mountain into one of the key battlegrounds ahead of the 2027 elections.
Last week, Gachagua alleged that Ruto had given Kindiki until October 25 to deliver Mt Kenya East.
The claim has added a new political dimension to Kindiki’s sustained activities in the region, especially Mt Kenya East, which boasts over Sh1.34 million votes.
The tours are now being closely watched for signs of whether he is simply discharging his constitutional duties or executing a broader political assignment.
Consolidating the region would strengthen his position within the Kenya Kwanza administration and could guarantee his retention as Ruto’s deputy in the 2027 general election.
Several leaders, especially from ODM, have been angling to replace Kindiki, adding pressure on the Deputy President to demonstrate his political value to the President.
Gachagua has repeatedly accused Kindiki of being used by Ruto to divide Mt Kenya.
“Professor, you have embarrassed us. You have been instructed by Ruto to summon elders from Mbeere, Tharaka and Meru to help you divide the mountain. But traditionally, the work of elders is to bring people together,” Gachagua said.
In recent days, Kindiki has escalated his activities in the region.
On Friday, he was in Meru, where he inspected and launched projects in various parts of the county. The 2022 IEBC register had 772,139 registered voters in Meru.
A day earlier, he pitched tent in his home turf of Tharaka Nithi, where he launched and inspected several projects.
In Maara constituency, Kindiki announced that construction of the 30-kilometre Keeria-Nguruki-Kieni-Magutuni-Makengi-Iruri-Kathwana road has resumed.
The 19-kilometre Weru-Iriga-Mutindwa-Chogoria road, which stalled in 2020, is under a new tendering process to secure a contractor with the capacity to complete the project quickly.
He said that the contractor of the Sh7 billion Nithi Bridge is on site and is expected to commence works once land acquisition and compensation to affected landowners is finalised.
Earlier, Kindiki inspected ongoing road works on the Itugururu-Kabururu stretch, addressed residents at Kabururu Centre and updated them on the status of development projects in Chuka Igambang’ombe constituency.
The development tours have been complemented by an aggressive grassroots political mobilisation.
Last week, Kindiki held a meeting with nearly 30,000 elected UDA officials from across Meru county — about 20 from each polling station — to congratulate them on their success in the grassroots party elections held earlier this year.
He also used the Kinoru Stadium meeting to update the officials on the implementation of the government manifesto.
Late last month, he was in Embu, where he launched several projects and met grassroots officials.
He also met more than 30,000 grassroots leaders from across Embu county to take stock of the government’s transformation agenda, ongoing national projects and listen to feedback on the pace and impact of development programmes.
Recently, Njuri Ncheke elders endorsed Kindiki as the undisputed leader and spokesman of Mt Kenya East, effectively placing him at the centre of the region’s political engagement with the national government.
“Any individual, leader or community seeking to engage the people of Mt. Kenya on any matter, including politics, shall do so through Deputy President Kithure Kindiki,” the elders said.
“We reaffirm our support for the President, William Samoei Ruto, and his administration, and pledge the support of the people of Mt Kenya East towards his re-election as the President of the Republic of Kenya for the second term,” they added.
The elders also endorsed Kindiki as Ruto’s running mate in the 2027 general election.
Tigania West MP John Mutunga set a target of one million votes for the government in Meru county, saying residents should protect ongoing projects by supporting the administration.
Chuka Igambang’ombe MP Patrick Munene credited Kindiki with championing projects contained in the Kenya Kwanza manifesto.
Meru Senator and Senate Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi said residents would not abandon UDA for emerging political formations.
“The people of Meru are not stupid. We formed this government, we voted for it, and we cannot now be told to leave UDA, the party we formed and voted for and go and form another government whose owners we do not know,” he said.
Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire accused leaders of disrespecting Kindiki. She said the region had supported successive presidents from the region.
“For 37 years, we, the people of Meru, Tharaka Nithi and Embu, have supported you (Mt Kenya West). This time round, they should support our son, Professor Kithure Kindiki,” she said.
