Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has called for unity in Mt Kenya, rejecting calls to divide the region into political blocs of Mt Kenya East and West.
Waiguru said attempts to split the region will weaken its collective political, social and economic bargaining power, urging residents to avoid divisions ahead of the 2027 general election.
The governor also dismissed the Dennis Itumbi-led Kirinyaga We Want initiative, which has advocated for changes to the political alignment of parts of the county.
“We will not divide this mountain into East and West. Let us not fight because of politics. Politics is politics — it should not divide us,” Waiguru said.
She spoke after officially opening Kavote Dispensary inthe Karumandii ward.
Waiguru said Kirinyaga remains one county and rejected proposals to politically align Gichugu and Mwea constituencies with Mt Kenya East while placing Ndia in the West.
Her remarks come amid an increasingly heated debate over the political future of Mt Kenya, with leaders from the region divided over whether it should maintain a united political identity or pursue separate East and West interests.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire are among leaders pushing for a separate political path for Mt Kenya East, arguing that the eastern counties of Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi have historically been sidelined by the West.
Ruku’s stance has been opposed by other leaders who maintain that dividing the region would reduce its collective influence.
Waiguru also cautioned Mt Kenya residents against abandoning the government for the opposition, arguing that the region could lose its political influence if it moved out of government.
She said an analysis of voting patterns in the region showed that residents needed to carefully consider their political choices and the implications of being outside government.
“To the people of Mt Kenya, don’t put yourself into a hole. As things stand, you are heading into a hole. We have carefully analysed the votes and the voting patterns in this region, and the numbers do not lie,” she said.
Waiguru said the opposition had yet to settle on a single presidential candidate, saying residents should examine the political options available to them before making their choices.
The governor also said six counties in the broader Mt Kenya region risked moving away from government if residents chose to back the opposition.
She said Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua will not be seeking the presidency following his impeachment as Deputy President, arguing that the region would therefore not have a presidential candidate of its own.
Waiguru urged residents to put emotions aside and assess aspirants based on their records and what they had delivered to the region.
“I have heard you, I know the bitterness you carry but let us not put ourselves into a hole. Let us stop the emotions. There is a reason people want to be in government. It’s where decisions that affect your lives are made. As we head into 2027, let us vote for leaders on the basis of their track record,” she said.
The governor said she had personally considered the political options facing Mt Kenya and maintained that her position was informed by what she considered to be the region’s interests.
She also urged Kirinyaga residents to reject political violence following chaos witnessed in Embu during a recent event attended by Deputy President Kithur Kindiki.
“We want peace in Kirinyaga, and I want to thank you for conducting yourselves peacefully. I have refused politics of violence. Violence has no place in modern Kenya,” Waiguru said.
She called for political tolerance across Mt Kenya, insisting that differences over political affiliations should not be allowed to divide communities.
