CS Ruku: Ruto still commands support in Mt Kenya

Speaking during interviews with local radio and television stations, Ruku accused Gachagua of using vernacular platforms to propagate what he described as hatred and propaganda against President Ruto, including claims that the President dislikes the Mt Kenya region and has sacked Government officials from the region.

The CS said the claims were part of what he termed a false narrative intended to create political hatred between the President and the people of Mt Kenya.

He argued that Gachagua's political differences with President Ruto should not be portrayed as an issue between the President and the entire Mt Kenya community

“A personal problem should not be turned into a community problem. The former Deputy President has been propagating a narrative in vernacular that President Ruto hates Mt Kenya and has removed all Government officers from the region. That is not true,” Ruku said.

He pointed to the presence of Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other senior Government officials from the region as evidence that the President's administration had not sidelined Mt Kenya

“You cannot tell me that the President hates people from Mt Kenya when he has appointed all these senior officials to his Government. We formed this Government together, and that is why we cannot quit as we are part and parcel,” he said.

Ruku said Gachagua was the only senior political leader from the region to have been impeached, arguing that his removal followed a constitutional process and should not be portrayed as persecution of the Mt Kenya community. He also added that the replacement was done from the Mt Kenya region.

The CS also criticised what he described as attempts to rewrite the history of the Mau Mau liberation struggle by portraying Mt Kenya West as the only part of the region that produced freedom fighters.

He said Mt Kenya East also played a significant role in the struggle for independence, with people from the region participating in the Mau Mau movement.

“It is not true that only Mt Kenya West had people who fought for independence. Mt Kenya East also had freedom fighters who sacrificed for this country. We should not use our history to divide the people of Mt Kenya for political purposes,” Ruku said.

Ruku cited Mau Mau generals such as Baimungi Marete, saying the liberation struggle involved people from different parts of the Mt Kenya region.

“We had generals such as Ruku. I come from that lineage, and Gachagua should not mislead people by presenting himself as the custodian of the Mau Mau history for political and personal interests,” he said.

The CS also defended Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, urging leaders and political actors to respect the office and allow him to discharge his constitutional responsibilities.

He said Kindiki, who comes from Mt Kenya East, had performed his duties effectively, supported President Ruto in implementing the Government's agenda and played a role in promoting national unity.

Ruku dismissed emerging political manoeuvres around the 2027 succession, saying there was no vacancy in the office of the Deputy President.

“There is no vacuum in the office of the Deputy President. Prof Kithure Kindiki is comfortably occupying that seat and doing his work. Those already positioning themselves for 2027 should forget and accord Kindiki their support for outperforming himself,” Ruku said.

He also dismissed proposals that former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya could replace Kindiki as Ruto's running mate, saying President Ruto had repeatedly expressed confidence in his deputy.

Ruku said the focus should instead remain on implementing Government programmes and improving the welfare of Kenyans.

On the 2027 General Election, the CS said the Government had no intention of interfering with the electoral process and would respect the independence of institutions mandated to conduct elections.

He said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should be allowed to discharge its constitutional responsibilities without interference, citing recent by-elections in Mbeere North, Ol Kalou and other constituencies as examples of electoral processes conducted independently.

“The 2027 election will be free, fair and verifiable. We want a democratic and transparent election, and we will allow independent institutions such as the IEBC to carry out their constitutional mandate. We are confident that President William Ruto and his deputy will secure a second term because of the work they have done for Kenyans, not because of rhetoric,” Ruku said.

The CS said the Kenya Kwanza administration would continue engaging Kenyans across the country and highlighting its record on development and service delivery ahead of the 2027 elections.

He challenged political leaders seeking to dislodge the administration to focus on presenting alternative policies and programmes instead of relying on what he described as ethnic and divisive narratives.