Mt Kenya has continued positioning itself at the centre of President William Ruto's legacy, with the region now keen on sealing the fate of the talks between him and his perennial nemesis, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Ruto, ahead of his tour in Central Kenya, starting Saturday, August 5, finds himself in a dilemma on whether to foster a working relationship with Raila or listen to the local area politicians opposing the talks.
In the 2022 General Elections, the tens of millions of voters from the region not only delivered Ruto's first presidency but also compelled him to settle on their son, Rigathi Gachagua, as his deputy.
Nearly half of the Cabinet, including the most vocal and controversial too, hail from the region. That's without tallying the principal secretaries and other confidants who were rewarded with plum jobs.
Even as Ruto emphasises that he is open to talks with Raila, he is obliged to listen to the mountain, which has warned him against following his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta's footsteps, by shaking hands with the opposition leader.
Uhuru was rejected by his own backyard after Ruto made inroads with promises to make a government for the hustlers. The President blamed the handshake for sabotaging the government.
With the majority of the hustlers now seemingly backing Raila and Mt Kenya leaders expressing discontent with Ruto warming up to the former President, it is too early to tell whether the head of state will stumble and form his path or heed the caution.
Ahead of his development tour of the region, residents and leaders of Mount Kenya on Friday, August 4, rejected any possibility of supporting talks between Raila and Ruto.
Led by Jane Njeri Maina, Kirinyaga Woman Representative Jane Njeri Maina, the leaders expressed prospects of Raila's involvement in the government despite the opposition leader insisting that he is only interested in discussing matters affecting the common mwananchi.
"The people here overwhelmingly voted for President Ruto in order for him to bring developments. We don't want a handshake in our administration. We want progress,” Njeri demanded.
They also promised to personally express their concerns about the bipartisan talks to President Ruto during his five-day tour.
In preparation for the tour, the leaders held meetings with their constituents, where they discussed various items, key among them was strongly and unequivocally rejecting the bipartisan talks.
"Our main focus is development for our people and not things which will not benefit our region," Njeri Maina told the media while distributing fertilizer to local area residents.
Reports further alleged that a section of Mt Kenya governors secretly met in Karen and Runda to discuss how they would benefit from the talks or the consequences of rejecting it in totality.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is yet to address the bipartisan talks.
Ruto Schedule
The head of state's tour will commence on Saturday morning, August 5, with a road trip from Nairobi. He will address residents at Githurai and Kenol before launching a water project at Kagio Trading Centre.
Ruto will then address a rally at Baricho in Kirinyaga County and commission the Marua-State Lodge Road later.
On Sunday and Monday, the President will host an interdenominational prayer service at Sagana State Lodge and launch a road in Mukurweini and water projects in Tetu and Othaya.
Before wrapping up his tour by meeting Mt Kenya leaders at Sagana State Lodge on Tuesday, Ruto will open a Kenya Co-operative Creameries company in Kiganjo.
On Wednesday, he is expected to open the three-storeyed, 175-bed Naromoru Level IV Hospital and launch an affordable housing project in Thika on his way back to Nairobi.
