President William Ruto has for the first time publicly acknowledged that the Mt Kenya vote bloc is giving him sleepless nights, telling a gathering that he has placed his political fate in God’s hands as the race toward 2027 heats up.
What Ruto Said
Speaking against the backdrop of growing disenchantment in the vote-rich region that helped propel him to State House in 2022, Ruto admitted the task of keeping Mt Kenya in his corner was proving harder than expected. The president has been criss-crossing the region in recent weeks, attempting to shore up support amid murmurs of discontent and the emergence of new political alignments.
“I leave everything to God. He is the one who determines who leads this country,”
Ruto said, in what many read as a candid admission that political calculations alone may not be enough to secure the region’s backing next time round.
The Mt Kenya Problem
The numbers tell the story. Mt Kenya delivered over 4 million votes for Ruto in 2022, the single largest bloc in his coalition. But the ground has shifted since then. The fallout with his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua — himself a son of the region — left a bitter taste. Efforts to fill the vacuum with new political allies have had mixed results, with some local leaders openly questioning whether the region got a fair deal from the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The resignation among some Mt Kenya voters is palpable. Conversations in market centres, church gatherings and funerals increasingly revolve around the idea that the region may need to renegotiate its political position — or even look elsewhere entirely.
What Comes Next
Ruto’s camp is betting heavily on development projects, economic programmes and strategic appointments to win back hearts and minds. The president has also been reaching out to church leaders and community elders, recognising that political influence in the region flows through multiple channels — not just elected politicians.
But with opposition figures already positioning themselves as the region’s new best friend, and local leaders sending mixed signals about where their loyalties truly lie, the president’s admission may be less about faith and more about political reality. 2027 is still two years away, but the battle for Mt Kenya is already being fought — and Ruto knows it.
