Kindiki's Endorsement as Mt Kenya's Spokesperson Draws Opposition

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki's efforts to rise the ranks in the leadership of Mt Kenya continue to encounter challenges as a section of leaders disapprove of his abilities.

A section of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) MPs have openly rejected his installation as Mt Kenya kingpin, insisting the ceremony conducted at Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu County on September 19 was irregular and lacked the backing of the broader community.

Speaking Sunday, September 27, Ndia MP George Kariuki, Juja MP George Koimburi and Ndaragwa MP George Gachagua made their position clear on Saturday during a meeting with Kiama Kia Ma elders in the Juja constituency, where they stated that former president Uhuru Kenyatta, who assumed the role in 2011, remains the region's legitimate spokesperson and kingpin.

The three legislators argued the ceremony was organised hurriedly and without following the established communal process for installing a kingpin.

They said elders across the GEMA community should have been consulted, stressing that such a designation is a cultural matter, not a political one.

Kariuki drew attention to what he described as a telling sign during the event, noting that the ceremonial crown placed on Kindiki's head fell off during the proceedings. He interpreted this as evidence of a flawed process.

"We only recognise Uhuru as the region's rightful kingpin," Kariuki said.

According to them, Uhuru should be sought after by anyone seeking to lead the region.

Koimburi, who has become one of the Kindiki's most vocal critics, questioned Kindiki's suitability to lead the region, pointing to what he described as the DP's diminished visibility within the current administration.

He cited Kindiki's apparent absence from President William Ruto's recent tour of the Nyanza region as one example. Koimburi said the community needed a leader capable of championing its interests ahead of the 2027 general election.

Kikuyu elders, including Maina wa Kibe and Mwangi Kagumo, said they were blindsided by the coronation and only became aware of it through media reports.

The Kiambu Kiama elders confirmed they played no part in the event and described the entire exercise as a sham, noting that such ceremonies are traditionally conducted in a shrine rather than a public stadium.

They said they felt sorry for the Deputy President, believing he had been misled.

The MPs also raised concerns about the continued spread of illicit and second-generation alcohol in the region, which they said was claiming lives and devastating young people.

Kariuki said they would push for the enforcement of existing laws to curb the trade in outlawed and counterfeit liquor.

Kindiki, for his part, had described the Kirigiti event as a response to a summons from councils of elders drawn from the Gikuyu, Aembu, Mbeere and Ameru communities.

His office said over 30,000 elders from 11 counties attended, representing bodies including the Kikuyu Council of Elders, Kiama kia Muembu, Nyangi Ndiriri and the Njuri Ncheke Supreme Council of Ameru Elders, who resolved to support the government and promote national unity.