Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on Mt Kenya voters to avoid repeating what he described as a costly mistake made during the 2022 elections electing leaders who only remembered their communities after being voted out. Addressing residents at a public forum in Iunduni, Tharaka Nithi County on Thursday, DP Kindiki said the region must start demanding proof of service delivery before re-electing any leader.
“When you’re in office, you forget us. But the moment you leave power, you suddenly become our hero,” DP Kindiki said. “This time, when we come to ask for your votes, I want you to ask us what did you do for us?”
DP Kindiki pressed voters to scrutinize candidates’ records ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning, “Making a mistake is human but repeating it is the real mistake.”
While he did not mention names, his statement appeared aimed at his predecessor, former Deputy President and DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua, who has re-emerged as a vocal critic of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
DP Kindiki also condemned recent violent protests in parts of the Mt Kenya region, where youth were linked to looting and vandalism during demonstrations against government policies. DP Kindiki warned that unrest would only slow down the region’s development and hurt economic recovery efforts. “Let us not resort to chaos,” DP Kindiki said. “Peace is not just about avoiding conflict it is the foundation of progress.”
His remarks follow days of political tension in the region. Trade Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano and economic strategist David Ndii both recently criticized Gachagua, accusing him of inciting discontent in the name of defending Mt Kenya interests.
Ndii said Gachagua had ample opportunity to serve the region while in office but “chose silence over action.”
DP Kindiki added, “These people saw us in the dark. They never saw us during the day. Now they want to act like they fought for us.”
DP Gachagua, who was removed from office in October 2024, has since launched the Democratic Citizens Party (DCP) and aligned himself with figures such as former Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i in a bid to unseat President William Ruto in 2027.
Although Gachagua has not officially responded to DP Kindiki’s comments, his growing influence in Mt Kenya politics poses a challenge to Ruto’s re-election efforts, especially in a region that played a decisive role in 2022.
DP Kindiki’s appeal signals a new phase of political realignment ahead of the next poll one where performance records, not promises, may decide who wins the mountain vote.
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