On Saturday, September 19, 2026, a section of elders representing communities from the Mount Kenya region endorsed Deputy President Kithure Kindiki to serve as the region’s spokesperson and representative in advancing its interests and aspirations. The endorsement was made during a major gathering at Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu County, bringing together representatives of several traditional elders' organisations. 

The development places Kindiki at the centre of an increasingly significant discussion over political representation and unity in the Mount Kenya region as Kenya approaches the 2027 General Election and political conversations about the region's future continue.

 *What happened at Kirigiti?* 

The declaration was signed by representatives of several organisations, including Kiama Kia Ma, the Kikuyu Council of Elders, Njuri Ncheke, Kiama Kia Muembu, Ngome and Ngangi Ndiriri. The elders said their decision was based on their traditional role as custodians of community wisdom, peace-builders, mediators and advisers to political leadership. 

In their declaration, the elders formally stated that Kindiki would serve as their spokesperson and representative in advancing the interests and aspirations of the wider Mount Kenya region. They specifically recognised him as a leader from the region who currently serves as Deputy President.

The endorsement is therefore broader than the earlier support Kindiki had received from some Mount Kenya East leaders. The latest declaration involved organisations representing Agikuyu, Ameru, Aembu and Ambeere communities, giving the announcement a wider regional dimension. 

Elders call for Mount Kenya unity

A major theme of the Kirigiti gathering was unity within Mount Kenya.

The elders said the Agikuyu, Ameru, Aembu and Ambeere communities share historical, social, economic and cultural connections that should be protected. They warned that political and ethnic divisions could undermine social cohesion, economic development and the region's future interests. 

The declaration comes after months of debate about political differences between Mount Kenya East and Mount Kenya West.

Some leaders from Mount Kenya East have argued that the region should support Kindiki and that political support should rotate within the wider Mount Kenya bloc. At the same time, there have been disagreements over whether the region should operate as separate East and West political blocs or remain united.

Kindiki's earlier endorsement in Mount Kenya East

The Kirigiti endorsement follows an earlier development in August when elders at Nembure Stadium in Embu County backed Kindiki as a political spokesperson for Mount Kenya East.

However, that earlier move was contested. The official Embu Council of Elders, Nyagi ya Ndiriri, rejected the Nembure gathering, saying the people involved did not have the authority to make political decisions on behalf of the wider Embu community. The council also opposed attempts to divide Mount Kenya into East and West political blocs. 

That background makes the latest Kirigiti declaration particularly significant because it involved several organisations from across the broader Mount Kenya region rather than being limited to one geographical section.

Why Kindiki?

Kindiki currently serves as Kenya's Deputy President, making him one of the most senior political figures from the Mount Kenya region.

The elders' declaration described him as a bearer of the region's political aspirations and expressed support for his role in representing its interests. They also acknowledged what they described as development efforts by President William Ruto and Kindiki in the region, particularly in areas such as infrastructure and agriculture. 

The decision also comes at a time when Kindiki has increasingly been involved in discussions about political unity within Mount Kenya.

On September 4, leaders from Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Isiolo publicly backed Kindiki and argued that Mount Kenya East should eventually seek the presidency. Those leaders also called for continued support for the Ruto-Kindiki administration. 

Geoffrey Ruku and the unity debate

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, another prominent figure from Mount Kenya East, has also been involved in the debate.

According to reporting by the Daily Nation, Ruku had previously called for recognition of Kindiki as the region's spokesman as part of efforts to bridge differences between Mount Kenya East and West. Ruku had also linked his willingness to abandon calls for a divided political approach to recognition of Kindiki's leadership role. 

This shows that the spokesperson question has become part of a wider debate about who should represent Mount Kenya politically and how the region should organise itself ahead of future elections.

The political significance

The endorsement does not itself create a constitutional or government office. Rather, it is a political and cultural endorsement by the participating elders' organisations.

The spokesperson role is intended to provide a common voice for the region when discussing matters affecting its communities. The elders said they wanted Kindiki to represent the region's interests and aspirations while promoting unity and peaceful political participation. 

The timing is also important because political parties and leaders are already positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections. The Mount Kenya region remains an important constituency in Kenyan national politics, and competing political figures have been seeking support from its communities.

Kindiki's new role could therefore make his public engagements with Mount Kenya communities more politically significant, although the extent to which all residents and political leaders across the region accept him as their spokesperson remains a matter of political debate.

Elders' message on President Ruto

The elders also expressed support for President William Ruto and Kindiki, citing development activities in Mount Kenya. They mentioned infrastructure and investments in agriculture, particularly coffee, dairy and tea, which are important economic activities in the region. 

They called on communities to participate in peaceful political activities and urged residents to create what they described as a conducive political environment for Ruto and Kindiki.

At the same time, they warned against political and ethnic divisions, saying such divisions could affect social cohesion and economic development.

What this means going forward

Kindiki's endorsement gives him an additional platform for engaging with Mount Kenya communities. It also comes at a time when different groups are debating the region's political direction and the balance between Mount Kenya East and West.

The declaration could strengthen efforts to present the region as a united political and cultural bloc. However, the earlier disagreement over the Nembure gathering demonstrates that there are different voices among elders and leaders, meaning the latest endorsement should be understood as the position of the organisations that signed the Kirigiti declaration rather than automatically representing every individual or institution in Mount Kenya. 

The immediate challenge for Kindiki will be translating the symbolic endorsement into broader acceptance across the region while maintaining the unity that the elders themselves emphasised.