A group of leaders from the Mount Kenya region has asked President William Ruto to exercise caution in his political partnership with ODM leader Raila Odinga.
The leaders spoke during the official opening of Makutano junction Huduma centre in Laikipia presided by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in his four-day tour of Embu and Laikipia Counties.
Gachagua has been in the Mount Kenya region for the past four days where he has visited Embu, Laikipia as part of his mission of solidifying his political base in light of the Ruto-Raila collaboration.
The leaders expressed concerns that the opposition leader Raila Odinga might leverage his potential chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC) to destabilize the Kenya Kwanza government.
Gachagua during his entire tour emphasized the importance of unity in the Mount Kenya region and urged the community to rally behind President Ruto for the sake of national political harmony.
He reminded them of historical political divisions that had previously cost the community dearly.
He called on the community to dismiss any attempts to sow division among them, highlighting the historical instance in 1992 when Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Embu, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, and Nyandarua supported Mwai Kibaki, while Kiambu, Murang'a, and Nairobi backed Kenneth Matiba.
This division, he emphasized, contributed to the community losing to former President Moi.
Expressing unwavering support for William Ruto, he stressed the community's commitment to backing him fully for mutual benefit and progress.
Gachagua underscored the importance of unity, emphasizing that the Mount Kenya region should remain vigilant against attempts to splinter them along county lines.
He warned that succumbing to such divisions would spell doom for the community, urging residents in Embu to remain united in the face of political challenges.
“We are keenly following the evolving national politics. We are watching from afar but we know as long as we are united, no one will shake us as the Mt Kenya region. Nobody should be told to divide us along the county lines because if we fall for that trap, we will be doomed,” Gachagua told the residents of Embu.
Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu expressed fears that the Ruto-Odinga relationship might lead to Mount Kenya's isolation from the government.
He rallied the community to support Gachagua as the senior-most politician from the region.
He said;
"Ungiona Nguru metha iguru,kwina mundu umatambirie hao ndinahaba inyika (when you see a tortoise on the top of the table, someone must have placed it there)".
“We will support you to the end and the community is fully behind you and you should not panic."
Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga said that the government is one and the people should not be divided on who to support.
He noted that there is no harm when the people of Mount Kenya meet to discuss their pressing issues and thus the Mount Kenya region should not be always judged negatively while other communities in western and Rift Valley meet and talk about their issues.
“When Mount Kenya leaders meet to talk, you will start to hear people complaining but when Luhyas do so, no one complains, we must unite for the region's unity and growth," he said.
These sentiments were echoed by Laikipia West MP Wachira Karani and Women Representative Jane Kagiri, who affirmed that Gachagua is recognized as the leader of Mount Kenya and that any attempt to sideline him will be resisted.
"If we are from this region, we must unite behind Gachagua. We must be vigilant because if we differ, there are clear signs that we will lose," stated Karani.
Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruuku warned against disrespecting Gachagua, stating that regional leaders would defend him if government efforts to assist Raila acquire the AUC chairmanship were perceived as undermining Gachagua.
“Any leader who fails to accord Gachagua his respect as the Deputy President and as the leader of Mt Kenya region, we shall deal with him man to man," he said.
Laikipia East Mwangi Kiunjuri said that the talks on the ground should stop adding that they might suggest that Gachagua is fighting Ruto which isn’t the case.
He said that the government is one and the people should not divide attention.
Last week, President Ruto and Raila met with Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni at his residence in Kisozi, Uganda.
President Ruto openly expressed his collaboration with the opposition leader, underscoring the importance of embracing all Kenyans irrespective of their political affiliations.
Already, signs of this partnership were evident as several ODM (Orange Democratic Movement) MPs welcomed the president at the International Investment Conference in Homa Bay County, with the country’s leader acknowledging their presence.
“I am pleased today that MPs who have been avoiding my meetings have shown up, and this is a positive sign,” the President said.
Wycliffe Oparanya, the Chairperson of the National Steering Committee of the Azimio coalition and also the Deputy Leader of the ODM party, stated that while there is currently no political cooperation plan with President Ruto, they cannot ignore the possibility of new alliances emerging.
“Currently, Azimio is stable, but also remember that no coalition has participated in two elections in its original form,” Oparanya said, hinting at the possibility of a new coalition.