Deputy President Kithure Kindiki finds himself in a political minefield after succeeding impeached Rigathi Gachagua.
Prof Kindiki, who has risen from Interior Cabinet Secretary, is in a storm as far as politics in Mt Kenya is concerned.
Prof Kindiki’s toughest assignment will be to rally the sulking Mountain to back President Ruto as it did in 2022.
He is also expected to replace Mr Gachagua as the deputy leader of the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), party Secretary-General Omar Hassan has said.
The task of uniting a region fractured by the impeachment of Mr Gachagua by Parliament is not easy. Nyandarua Senator John Methu calls it “extreme ambition”.
“The Mountain is in a foul mood. How Prof Kindiki and his team intend to soothe it is something I would not want put on my shoulders,” Mr Methu told the Saturday Nation.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba shared the sentiments.
“My reputable brother Kindiki will need the grace of God to fight the perception that he was used by other forces to divide Mt Kenya and stab Gachagua in the back,” Ms Wamuchomba said.
Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu said Mt Kenya is in a wait-and-see mode as Mr Gachagua’s legal battles collapse.
“No one should lie to Prof Kindiki that it will be easy, now that he is the Deputy President,” Mr Nyutu said.
“This good man is being ushered in a complicated and poisoned political field. There is a general feeling that Prof Kindiki is President Ruto’s divide-and-rule weapon.”
For Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa, Prof Kindiki will not find it easy helping Mt Kenya leaders who were instrumental in sending Mr Gachagua home.
“The politics unleashed on our people has poisoned the relationship between leaders and Mt Kenya residents. Many lawmakers cannot interact with the grassroots freely,” Mr Thang’wa said.
“I would love to see all leaders working well with the people but since Prof Kindiki’s wing created this animosity, the damage will be difficult to repair.”
Uniter
Buuri MP Rindikiri Murwithania said Prof Kindiki can unite the region.
“He will surprise all by making us regret that we shortchanged him in the search for the running mate in 2022,” Mr Murwithania said.
“Prof Kindiki can unify the region without resorting to the crude tactics we have recently been treated to. He can make us live with others under the national flag.”
Former Laikipia Woman Representative Cate Waruguru said the most senior leader in Mt Kenya “must exhibit Mr Gachagua’s passion by pushing for the one-man, one-shilling, one vote formula as well as the minimum guaranteed returns in agribusiness”.
Prof Kindiki dismissed the formula as “untested, divisive and having the potential to further marginalise the vulnerable”.
Former Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri said Prof Kindiki opposed the formula “to safeguard his home county’s interests instead of considering the plight of heavily populated regions”.
Prof Kindiki comes from Tharaka Nithi, a county of 393,000 people, according to the 2019 population census.
Maragua MP Mary wa Maua said Prof Kindiki is being “propelled into suspect prominence after the grand betrayal of Mr Gachagua”.
“If he had been made DP in a manner reflecting fairness and justice, few people would have problems with that,” she said.
Ms Maua termed reports of Mt Kenya being split into the East and West “unfortunate”.
'Thick of things'
Former Gatanga MP Nduati Ngugi said Prof Kindiki is in the thick of things as he attempts to cement himself as the Mt Kenya kingpin.
“As much as President Ruto’s supporters keep saying he has no time for regionalism, his more than 48 Mt Kenya loyalists recently congregated in Nyahururu and endorsed Prof Kindiki as spokesman,” Mr Ngugi told the Saturday Nation.
“Kindiki will need an extraordinary plan to have Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Laikipia, Murang’a, Nyandarua, Kiambu, Nakuru in his grip.”
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said Mt Kenya is “lucky to have a man of reason, moderation and patriotism as its leader”.
He added that Prof Kindiki and Dr Ruto would speed up development in Mt Kenya and other parts of the country.
Jubilee Party Secretary-General and former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni said the Kenya Kwanza government is in dire need of Mt Kenya numbers “as it continues to auction our critical infrastructure and health services”.
“Prof Kindiki is being brought into the picture to help stifle this region’s right to question the long-term leasing of Kenya’s installations to shady conglomerates,” Mr Kioni said.
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki praised the elevation of Prof Kindiki to DP position.
“We are excited as a region and country for having a leadership that is sober, unifying and progressive,” Mr Njuki said.
“Prof Kindiki will freshen things up and help the President achieve the pre-election plan for the country.”
With fears of President Ruto’s ratings falling, Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku said Prof Kindiki can popularise the government in the region and elsewhere.
“As Interior Cabinet Secretary, he was diligent, loyal, hardworking and result-oriented. He was the highest ranked Cabinet member in performance,” Mr Ruku told the Saturday Nation.
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology lecturer Charles Mwangi said Prof Kindiki could have the formula of pacifying competing forces at the grassroots.
“I am, however, certain that he will have problems achieving three things,” he said, citing them as winning the ground for President Ruto, convincing residents to abandon the one-man, one-shilling, one-vote call and the new DP reaching 2027 as the ideal running mate for Dr Ruto.
“Beyond these shenanigans, we should not forget that politics is about banging up winning numbers and forming tribal, regional and cartel-based alliances to seize power,” the don added.
