NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 23 – Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has cautioned leaders and residents of the Mt Kenya region to exercise restraint amid emerging political realignments, warning against being pushed out of government without a clear alternative political path.
Speaking on Friday, in Kutus during a meeting with newly elected grassroots UDA leaders in Kirinyaga, Waiguru said the Mt Kenya region must not be misled into abandoning the Kenya Kwanza government without clarity on its political destination.
“No one should tell us to get out of government without clearly explaining where we are going. Mt Kenya must be strategic and deliberate in its political decisions,” Waiguru said.
The governor questioned the viability of emerging political movements linked to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, arguing that such formations lack both a clear presidential candidate and a national outlook.
“There is no presidential candidate for Mt Kenya in the opposition. Key opposition meetings have reportedly been held without Gachagua’s involvement—a sign of weak coordination and internal exclusion,” she said.
Waiguru further claimed that even within the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), there are individuals allegedly plotting to take over the party, raising concerns about internal instability.
Emphasising the region’s political contribution, Waiguru reminded residents that Mt Kenya played a decisive role in electing the Kenya Kwanza government and should not relinquish power without a clear strategy.
“The Kenya Kwanza government was put in office by the people of Mt Kenya. We cannot leave government and abandon it to others,” she said.
She also took issue with remarks by former Deputy President Gachagua, who has publicly claimed to be waiting for former President Uhuru Kenyatta to join the opposition.
Waiguru dismissed the claims, stating that Kenyatta remains engaged within the government’s broader framework.
According to Waiguru, the former president recently sent a representative to President William Ruto at State House, a move she said demonstrates that Uhuru is still working with the current administration and not aligned with opposition politics.
The governor defended her continued engagement with President Ruto, noting that negotiations with the president have delivered tangible development projects in Kirinyaga and other parts of the Mt Kenya region.
“We chose to negotiate, and that is why we are seeing development in Kirinyaga and across the region,” she said.
Waiguru further noted that President Ruto is seeking only a single five-year term, arguing that this presents the shortest and most realistic route for Mt Kenya to eventually produce a president, compared to what she described as the uncertain path offered by the opposition.
