Kenya’s Mount Kenya region, long known for voting as a unified bloc, is heading into the 2027 elections deeply divided, a shift that appears to favor President William Ruto. Political loyalties are increasingly split between Mount Kenya East, aligned with Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, and Mount Kenya West, led by Ruto’s former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua. Leaders from Mount Kenya East argue that their western counterparts have long marginalized eastern communities, only embracing them to achieve their political goals. Consequently, they are now pushing an independent political path. Gachagua, however, accuses Ruto of deliberately stoking the split to weaken opposition strength. Analysts say the rivalry could turn Mount Kenya East into a decisive swing region, reshaping Kenya’s electoral landscape.
The African Report