Mt Kenya MPs split on unity calls as Kindiki propped up in the East

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Interior CS Kithure Kindiki at Kenya-Somalia border post in Mandera ahead of Kenya-Ethiopia-Somalia trilateral meeting that will bring peace and trade between the three countries on May 11,2023. [File, Standard]

Mt Kenya politics couldn’t get more confusing and complicated than it currently is.

Ironically, calls for the region to unite that initially elicited derisive criticism and condemnation as tribalism have now borne divisions whose chasms are wide enough to split the mountain.

The latest move to endorse Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki as leader of Mt Kenya East came as a shocker to many. This is the man who Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua beat in the run-up to the 2022 elections to become Ruto’s running mate. Kindiki has been critical of unity calls perpetuated by Gachagua, which he has dismissed as tribal and outdated.

His elevation in Mt Kenya East has further deepened cracks in the region, which majorly houses the biggest homogeneous voting block in the country.

This came against the backdrop of Gachagua’s constant insistence on the need for the region to unite for a common good, the dissenting voices notwithstanding.

Amid rebellion, Gachagua has had a huge task in consolidating his Mt Kenya backyard but has not shied away from this responsibility, which he fully embraces.

Gachagua insists he will not relent in his quest despite harsh criticism from leaders not happy with his sudden change of political game plan.

“What is wrong with fighting for unity? We must fight for resources and fulfill what we promised our people after the election. I have forgiven people in this region, what is wrong with forgiving each other and uniting as a region?” he previously posed.

Yesterday, some of Gachagua’s allies said the mission to divide Mt Kenya will fail yet again. Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru alias Mejja Donk, admitted to major split among leaders from the region.

“Yes, there is a split among leaders, but mostly money is being used to ensure division. It is just another attempt because the first one was to divide Kenyans based on counties failed. Then came the second attempt to divide Mt Kenya people in diaspora against those in the regions. It failed terribly,” he said.

He, however, said both attempts failed and those responsible are causing themselves more harm than good because the people already know what they want.

“This is the final attempt to divide East and West but listening to the real Mt Kenya people, they are more than united. It is only a few leaders being used,” he said.

His Roysambu counterpart, Mwafrika Augustine Kamande said the latest pull on Mt Kenya East politically means that now Central Kenya is being isolated. “When you see the way Mt Kenya East isolating themselves then it means the region is somehow isolated but we will continue to observe because there are so many scenarios likely to follow. We have three years and things will change,” he added.

Although he did not state who exactly is behind attempts to split the region, Mwafrika said the tribal card is playing out and all indications are that the people are behind the DP.

The DP and Majority Leader in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung’wa are diametrically opposed. Ichung’wa has been criticising the DP’s style of leadership saying it should be about building bridges and bringing people together, not exploiting differences for political gain.

“The future of our nation depends on our ability to rise above division and embrace unity as our guiding principle. It is therefore imperative for leaders to reject outdated tactics of using ethnicity and regionalism to fragment and divide our nation. The era of tribal lords and kingpinship, where people were used as mere political pawns, has passed,” Ichung’wa said recently.

But leaders allied to Gachagua have accused Ichungw’a of disrespecting the DP and the office he holds as demonstrated by his his frequent attacks, even in the presence of the President.

On Sunday, Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu expressed displeasure with the Majority leaders’ remarks, directed at the DP, in what he termed as constant disrespect.

“We urge you Ichung’wah to stop disrespecting the Deputy President. Please let the Deputy President be,” Nyutu said.