Over 2,000 Njuri Ncheke elders endorse Interior CS Kindiki as their kingpin

The Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders has endorsed Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki to be their point man in the Mt. Kenya East region.

Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting attended by more than 2,000 elders drawn from Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties, the gathering resolved to rally behind Prof. Kindiki to be their link to the Kenya Kwanza government.

They underscored that Kindiki had proven himself as a close and reliable ally to President William Ruto, thus he is fit to be the region’s kingpin who would also channel development in the area.

“We are here as Njuri Ncheke from two counties (Meru and Tharaka) so that we endorse Kithure Kindiki who is working well with our beloved President William Ruto. He is our own, mtoto yetu,” declared one of the elders.

“Today we endorse him as our kingpin, spokesman and the link between us, Mt Kenya East and the President. He will be the one we will be sending. We want him to speak to the President so that we can develop the region. Njuri Ncheke ikisema imesema na hakuna mwengine wa kwenda tofauti na vile tumesema.”

According to the elders, Mt. Kenya East has always backed the Western side over the years and they now believe it is time for reciprocity.

“We as the older politicians in the region have been supporting Mt. Kenya West since Kenyatta’s time, Moi, Kibaki and Uhuru. We were hoping that they would support us during Ruto’s term to at least have a deputy president,” said another elder.

The development comes on the backdrop of a seeming rift in the region where one section is rallying behind Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and the other under Kindiki.

Last week, elected members of Parliament from Mt. Kenya East pledged their support for Kindiki as their key representative to the national executive, days after the Mt. Kenya and Diaspora Parliamentary Leaders Forum also endorsed the Interior boss as their main liaison.

The 40 MPs from Mt. Kenya West and the diaspora signed the declaration, known as the 'Nyahururu Declaration,’ bringing the total number of legislators supporting CS Kindiki to 69.

These continuous endorsements now seemingly setting the stage for a potential political clash between CS Kindiki and DP Gachagua on the control of Central region politics.