Don't poison the Mountain against Ruto, CS Ruku tells Gachagua
Central
By
Phares Mutembei
| Jun 16, 2026
Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has warned the opposition leaders against undermining the Mt Kenya unity and setting the Embu, Meru and Tharaka Nithi communities against the leadership of President William Ruto.
In an attack aimed at the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Party of National Unity leader Peter Munya, Jubilee deputy leader Fred Matiang'i, and other opposition leaders, Ruku affirmed that the Meru and Embu communities strongly support Ruto's administration and no one should victimise them for their political stand.
Ruku claimed Gachagua and some leaders from the Mt Kenya West region were attempting to politically profile Mt Kenya East communities (Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi) for supporting Ruto. "For long, only the Kikuyu benefited from government opportunities, yet we also fought for independence," Ruku, who is from the Mbeere in Embu, said.
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"The government has revived roads that had stalled and is connecting more people to the electricity grid and water projects. But Gachagua cannot see that. He is busy calling our leader (Deputy President Kithure Kindiki) names. We will not accept it," said the minister.
Equal opportunities
He accused the Mt Kenya West leaders of only using Mt Kenya East as a political stepping stone during elections. "The Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi are not Kikuyu; even our culture and traditions are different," said the CS. "The Meru, Embu, and Tharaka Nithi people will no longer support leaders from Mt Kenya West who only want to use us for political gain."
"Our forefathers also fought for independence. We had generals Baimungi Marete, Musa Mwariama (Meru), Ruku (Embu), and others who shed blood for us to gain independence," Ruku said.
He said it was wrong for Gachagua, Munya, and others to turn the people in Mt Kenya East against Ruto.
"We are going to divorce. We tell Wamunyoro (Gachagua) to confine himself to Nyeri and Murang'a counties. He cannot control us."
He said that as Meru, Embu, and Tharaka Nithi leaders, they were ready to face Gachagua 'head-on'.
Ruku claimed Mt Kenya West had experienced more development in roads, electricity, water, and other infrastructure since independence compared to Mt Kenya East.
"Because development was concentrated there. If you go there, there is electricity and tarmac roads. It is now our turn to have roads built, electricity and water connections, and our professionals appointed to senior positions in national government," Ruku said.
The Cabinet Secretary maintained that the Mt Kenya East region remains firmly behind Dr Ruto and his deputy Prof Kindiki. "We are fully behind Ruto and Kindiki."
Trashing discussions on the deputy presidency position, Ruku said, "The position is currently occupied. Any succession debates should wait until after 2032."
Ruku also told off Gachagua, Munya and Matiang'i for opposing Ruto's bid to construct a State lodge in Meru.
The CS also accused Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka of failing to deliver impactful development for his community despite having access to power. Similarly, he said Munya and former Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi failed to effectively lobby for the economic interests of the Meru community while in the government.