Kindiki rallies Mt. Kenya behind Ruto as he dismisses ouster talk

Speaking at the 11th Annual Meru Dairy Farmers Field Day at the ASK Gitoro Showground in Meru on Saturday, Kindiki told thousands of farmers that political divisions should not be allowed to undermine the economic gains made under the current government.

"Those of us who come from this region, myself included, are one community. We have been one community since Independence. We have traded together and shared a common cultural heritage," he said.

In an apparent response to critics questioning his political future, the Deputy President was emphatic that the region would not be dislodged from government.

"The same government cannot be bad because the Deputy President comes from one region and become good when he comes from another region. It is not possible," he said.

He reached for a metaphor to underline the point. "You do not build a house, complete it, furnish it, and then abandon it to go and live in the forest. That is not possible. We are not going anywhere. We are in government to stay," he said.

His remarks come amid a heated contest for political influence in the vote-rich Mt. Kenya region, where the government's standing has been questioned ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Turning to the dairy sector, Kindiki said President William Ruto had directed the National Treasury to release Sh100 million this week for the second phase of the Meru Dairy animal feeds factory, with a further Sh100 million pledged through the Supplementary Budget to complete its expansion.

He said the new factory would bring down the cost of livestock feeds, with a 50-kilogramme bag set to retail at Sh2,800, down from the current Sh3,100 to Sh3,200.

"Because feed prices will reduce, farmers will retain more profit, and we will continue introducing more measures to increase farmers' earnings," he said.

The Deputy President also announced improved returns for dairy farmers, saying that from August 1, Meru Dairy farmers would earn Sh52 per litre after deductions, up from Sh50, while the annual bonus would rise to Sh54 per litre. He attributed the gains to government interventions that had pushed milk prices up from between Sh33 and Sh37 per litre in 2022.

Kindiki further said the government had cut the price of sexed semen from the Sh7,000 charged before Ruto took office and was working to improve its availability amid rising demand from farmers.

He praised the growth of the Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union, saying membership had expanded to 168 cooperative societies with more than 161,000 farmers, while annual milk roduction had grown from 83.6 million litres in 2020 to more than 220 million litres in 2025.

The Deputy President challenged leaders seeking support in Meru to point to their development record rather than lean on political rhetoric.

"Those moving around Meru claiming to be important leaders should tell us what they have done for the people of Meru and how they helped increase milk prices for farmers," he said.