Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has sounded a political warning to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, urging him to re-evaluate his alignment with President William Ruto amid growing discontent within the Mount Kenya political bloc.
Addressing congregants at a Sunday church service in Rwarera, Meru County, Linturi accused the President of sidelining long-serving allies from the region after ascending to power. He cautioned Kindiki not to ignore what he described as a pattern of political betrayal.
“History is repeating itself,” Linturi told the congregation. “We have seen what happens to Mount Kenya leaders after they help deliver power once the goal is achieved, they are shown the door. Don’t let yourself be next.”
Linturi, who was dropped from Cabinet in the 2023 reshuffle that followed intense anti-government protests, now aligns with the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), a rising opposition outfit led by allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. The party is positioning itself as a political alternative heading into the 2027 General Election.
Referencing his own dismissal, the ouster of former Public Service CS Justin Muturi, and Gachagua’s impeachment in October, Linturi described a pattern of calculated exclusion targeting the region’s leadership.
“The writing is on the wall. The mountain is beginning to shift direction. Let’s stop wasting time and unite to ensure Ruto serves only one term,” he said.
His remarks were echoed by DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala, who criticized the government for assigning Deputy President Kindiki what he termed as “symbolic responsibilities” while excluding him from substantial policy discussions.
“On matters that affect livelihoods like coffee reforms or the fight against illicit brews Kindiki is nowhere in the picture. He’s being reduced to a ceremonial figure, sent to fundraisers while others steer the ship,” Malala said.
Malala also pointed to Gachagua’s political resilience, claiming the government’s efforts to discredit and sideline him had backfired.
“They labeled him tribal and orchestrated his impeachment, hoping to end his career. But today, he’s bringing together communities far beyond the mountain,” he added.
As the political landscape begins to shift, DCP leaders say they intend to tap into the growing dissatisfaction within Central Kenya, promising to rally behind what they call a “genuine leadership movement” that speaks to the region’s concerns.
