Mt Kenya East elders endorse Ruto’s re-election, back Kindiki as future leader amid calls to heal GEMA rift
NAIROBI,Kenya, Aug 15- Mt Kenya East elders have thrown their weight behind President William Ruto’s re-election bid while backing Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s political future, even as they called for…
In a significant development, elders from Mt Kenya East have publicly endorsed President William Ruto's re-election bid while also endorsing Deputy President Kithure Kindiki's political future. This stance was delivered during a formal gathering in Nembure, Manyatta Constituency, Embu County, amid escalating political tensions within the Mt Kenya region.
The elders' call for reconciliation between the region's eastern and western divisions comes as a strong rebuttal to the rivalry between Kindiki and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Kindiki, echoing the views of the councils of elders, urged the leaders to avoid deepening divisions and emphasized the importance of the Deputy President's position belonging to the community rather than an individual. "This position of Deputy President is not my personal position, and it was not also for Rigathi personally. It was and it is for the community," Kindiki stated.
The Kikuyu, Embu, and Meru communities, historically acting as a unified political and cultural bloc, defended the retention of the Deputy President role after Gachagua's removal. Kindiki warned against turning against Mt Kenya West over political disagreements, urging the elders from both regions to initiate dialogue and restore unity.
Kindiki also cautioned against rushing to make political decisions, suggesting that consultation with the councils of elders should guide the region's political future. He expressed faith in the elders' ability to unite all the communities in Mt Kenya.
Despite the political tension, Kindiki emphasized unity and warned against violence or destruction of property and livelihoods. He urged leaders to give elders time to negotiate with their counterparts from Mt Kenya West rather than making hasty political decisions. Kindiki reiterated that voting for Ruto next year is voting for oneself and the region's future.
The Deputy President, however, criticized Gachagua for disrespecting fellow leaders and warned of a political confrontation in the 2027 elections. He also rejected calls for Ruto to serve only one term, vowing to deal with those who call for such a decision.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
