President William Ruto and the politics of Mount Kenya region.
A meeting planned on Wednesday at State House between President William Ruto and leaders from Meru County was called off at the eleventh hour amid discontent over unfinished projects.
Instead, some leaders met President Ruto on Tuesday and expressed dissatisfaction over the projects, a situation that has been blamed for the bad blood between the Kenya Kwanza administration and Meru leaders.
An MCA who spoke in confidence said the initial meeting, which would have brought together over 500 leaders, was abandoned to allow for the completion of projects.
“There is a lot of noise at the moment concerning the projects, and it was agreed that the president meets all leaders once they are implemented,” the MCA said.
Kathuri Murungi.
Senator Kathuri Murungi said during the Tuesday meeting, they raised critical issues affecting the region, including stalled roads, as well as earnings for tea, coffee, miraa, dairy, and avocado farmers.
Meru Governor Isaac Mutuma led MPs and members of the county assembly in delivering their grievances.
President Ruto’s support in Mt Kenya East has been waning following the exit of key government point men in the region, including former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi and his former Public Service counterpart Justin Muturi.
In Meru, there has been an outcry over inaction on banditry attacks that have led to the killings of 20 people in the last two years.
Meru leaders raised an eyebrow when they proposed that the county assembly should allocate funds to buy guns and bullets to boost the fight against banditry in the northern part of the county, which is a national government function.
President Ruto is also facing dissent over a slump in miraa prices due to a powerful cartel operating from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, during an interview with Meru-based Weru TV last Sunday night, claimed that the State was protecting the cartel.
Igembe South MP John Paul Mwirigi said they discussed reviving stalled projects and ongoing ones, security, and government efforts to boost the economy.
Meru assembly majority whip and Athwana MCA Jim Muchui addresses journalists on drought situation in Meru on September 27, 2022.
Meru Assembly Minority whip Jim Muchui said the president restated his commitment to completing stalled and new projects in the county.
“We were updated on the progress of roads and markets. Already, contractors have been paid, and they will resume road construction. The president also committed to signing a power purchase agreement for the Sh50 billion Meru Energy park,” Mr Muchui said.
He said President Ruto also pledged that the national government would clear the Sh329 million the county owes a French hotelier who was evicted from Meru National Park.
The compensation, which was awarded by the courts, accrues about Sh45 million in interest every year.
As of December last year, Mr Gabriel Dechauffour told Nation that he had received Sh120 million from the county.
President Ruto challenged the Meru leaders to unite and avoid divisive politics, saying it would create a conducive environment for development by both the county and national governments.
The meeting came days after Mr Linturi joined the oppositio,n vowing to rally residents to vote out President Ruto.
Dr Ruto’s support base was first hit in Embu and is now facing headwinds in Meru, which is considered Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s backyard.
Mr Muturi, who has been a critic from within since he was fired from the government, set the pace for a major political face-off.
Top leaders meet in Nairobi to shape opposition ahead of 2027
Mr Linturi and Mr Muturi made their first appearance in an opposition meeting on Tuesday, joining Mr Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, Fred Matiang’i and Eugene Wamalwa in a bid to unseat Dr Ruto. The reunion of these leaders is said to have sent jolts to the President into action, with his allies warning him that all was not well in Mt Kenya East.
Although the majority of the MPs from the region are aligned with the president, many have been forced to be cautious about expressing their support for the government.
In Meru, the president now has opponents in Mr Linturi, former governor Kawira Mwangaza and former CS Peter Munya.
Mwangaza deserted the President, accusing him of influencing her ouster despite having paid allegiance to the ruling party.
“Despite my removal from office, I still have the support of the majority of Meru residents. We must send home all political brokers in 2027. I will only support President Ruto if he has work to show in Meru,” she said.
Despite the president evoking hope among Meru residents that he was in talks with Mr Linturi and Mr Munya, both politicians have accused the president of lying.
Last week, Mr Munya, the PNU party leader, denied being in talks with the president and declared that he was not interested in a job in his administration.
Kiraitu Murungi at a past event.
On Friday, the Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) leader Kiraitu Murungi, who also serves as NOCK chairman, denied that the party was in government.
According to the Bus Party officials, they were not ready to be associated with the ruling party, yet it was not listening to the people’s needs.
“Our voices are being ignored. Our people are suffering, yet those in government, whom we supported, are silent on the plight of Kenyans. We cannot be bystanders anymore,” Mbus Party chairman Lenny Kivuti said.
Curiously, despite his declaration that his party was not in any coalition with Kenya Kwanza, Mr Kiraitu attended the meeting and, in photos widely shared in the media, was seen in discussions with President Ruto. Mr Kiraitu did not respond to our calls seeking comment on his stance and presence at State House.
Sources also revealed that the President was concerned about the upcoming Mbeere North by-election, where Mr Kiraitu’s Mbus Party is said to have an upper hand.
“The President is wooing Mbus Party to represent Kenya Kwanza in the by-election that is going to be crucial in proving to the people in the region that he still commands support in the region,” a source said.
There is also concern that most of the politicians in Mt Kenya East region are now gravitating towards the former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, pointing to his growing influence in the region, the source added.
From left: Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K), Jubilee Party's Torome Saitoti, Mr Mithika Linturi, People's Liberation Party boss Martha Karua, Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Mr Justin Muturi, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Dr Fred Matiang'i during a meeting in Nairobi on April 29, 2025.
Mr Gachagua has since announced that he would unveil a political party in May, in readiness for the 2027 duel.
On Thursday, Mr Linturi led a delegation of former MPs and MCAs to Mr Gachagua’s Wamunyoro residence after meeting KANU’s Gideon Moi.
A week ago, allies of Mr Linturi met the former DP, where they expressed readiness to join his political party.
“We met the former deputy president to urge him to fast-track the launch of his political party. The people of Meru are very much ready to support him,” Mr Daniel Marete said.
The growing dissent in Meru puts Deputy President Kithure Kindiki in a tight spot at a time when he is striving to consolidate the Mt Kenya region.
