EMBU, Kenya — A section of elders from Mt Kenya East has endorsed President William Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki for the 2027 General Election, calling for greater political unity between the eastern and western sides of the region.
The elders from Embu, Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties made the declaration after a meeting on Saturday, where they resolved to support the Ruto-Kindiki ticket and urged communities across the wider Mt Kenya region to work together ahead of the next election.
The endorsement comes as political parties and leaders intensify efforts to consolidate support in Mt Kenya, a key electoral region that has historically played a significant role in determining Kenya’s presidential election outcomes.
Elders seek Mt Kenya unity
The elders said they would pursue a framework to enable communities from Mt Kenya East and Mt Kenya West to speak with one voice on issues of mutual interest while maintaining their distinct traditions, institutions and identities.
They appealed to political and community leaders in Mt Kenya West, including those living in the diaspora, to support Kindiki’s leadership.
“We respectfully call upon our brothers and sisters in Mt Kenya West, including those living in the diaspora, to recognize the historic moment before us and to extend to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki the same spirit of solidarity, loyalty and brotherhood that Mt Kenya East has historically extended to leaders from Mount Kenya West,” the elders said.
The elders expressed confidence in Kindiki’s leadership, describing him as a figure capable of representing the interests of the region while serving in the country’s second-highest office.
Their endorsement effectively places the council among groups seeking to consolidate support for the Ruto-Kindiki partnership ahead of the 2027 election.
Kindiki endorsed as Mt Kenya spokesperson
The elders also went further by endorsing Kindiki as the spokesperson through whom the region should engage on political and development matters.
They said leaders seeking to engage the Mt Kenya community should do so through the Deputy President.
“Any individual, leader or community seeking to engage the people of Mt Kenya on any matter, including politics, shall do so through Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, as the duly recognised national leader through whom the people of Mt Kenya East shall engage on matters affecting the political and development future of the Mountain.”
Beyond securing Kindiki another term as Deputy President, the elders also made a more consequential declaration; backing him to eventually become the first President of Kenya from Mt. Kenya East.
In a resolution adopted by the Njuri Ncheke Supreme Council, Nyaangi Ndiriri, Kiama Kia Muembu, Ngome and Mwea Councils of Elders, the elders said Mt. Kenya East had for decades supported leaders from Mt. Kenya West and that the political debt was now due for repayment.
“We therefore believe that the time has come for the people of Mount Kenya West to reciprocate that solidarity by supporting Kithure Kindiki unconditionally as the Deputy President and in his future ambitions of becoming the first President of the Republic of Kenya from Mount Kenya East,” the elders said in a joint statement.
The declaration could have significant political implications as competing factions seek influence over the Mt Kenya vote ahead of 2027.
Kindiki, who comes from Tharaka Nithi, has increasingly emerged as an important figure in the government’s efforts to strengthen its relationship with Mt Kenya East.
The region has, however, witnessed competing political positions since the 2022 election, when Ruto received substantial support from Mt Kenya but later fell out with his then-deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, who was impeached and removed from office in 2024.
Also Read: Ruto’s 2027 election challenge: The Gachagua factor
Gachagua has since established himself as a leading critic of the Ruto administration and has been seeking to consolidate political support in Mt Kenya and across the opposition ahead of 2027.
The latest endorsement therefore comes against the backdrop of an increasingly competitive battle for influence in the region, with both the government and opposition seeking to shape Mt Kenya’s political direction.
Battle for Mt Kenya vote
The elders’ call for unity also reflects the growing importance of relations between Mt Kenya East and West as political leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
By backing Ruto and Kindiki, the elders are seeking to give the incumbent administration a stronger foothold in a region where political loyalties have become increasingly contested.
The declaration, however, represents the position of the elders who attended the meeting and does not necessarily represent the views of all communities or voters across Mt Kenya.
With the 2027 election still ahead, the region’s political alignment is likely to remain fluid as Ruto’s administration, Gachagua and other political formations compete for influence and voter support.
