Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has urged leaders from the Mt Kenya region to heed elders’ call for unity and avoid political divisions ahead of future elections.
Kindiki said elders had tasked him, as the region’s seniormost leader, with ensuring that Mt Kenya remains united despite leaders belonging to different political formations.
The Deputy President said political competition should not be allowed to create divisions between communities in the region, including attempts to separate Mt Kenya into East and West.
“I have clear orders to unite Mt Kenya region. We might be affiliated to different formations but the elders requested me to ensure peaceful political contests. Aspirants will sell their agenda and voters will decide who to vote for,” he said.
Kindiki spoke on Friday while inspecting development projects in Kieni Constituency, Nyeri County. He was recently endorsed by elders from the Kikuyu, Embu, Mbeere and Meru communities as the region’s spokesperson.
The Deputy President said he would respect the guidance of the elders and continue promoting unity across the region.
“Mt Kenya is one. There is no East or West. We cannot divide it. It has always been one. It was one during the leadership of Presidents Jomo Kenyatta, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta. It will remain one. We must protect and bequeath it as one to the next generations,” he said.
Kindiki also warned against political violence, saying leaders should allow voters to make their choices freely during elections.
“We should not allow violence to take over our politics. We are not a region known for violence despite political differences. We are wealth creators not destroyers. We should not attack each other. Everyone should sell their agenda and voters will decide. The winner serves all and the loser waits for their time,” he said.
He cited political contests involving prominent leaders in 1992 and 2002 as examples of periods when political competition did not necessarily translate into violence among communities.
Kindiki said he would continue focusing on development across Mt Kenya, noting that several projects worth billions of shillings were ongoing in the region.
During his visit to Nyeri, he launched construction of roads in Chaka Township and directed the contractor to complete the works on schedule.
Nyeri County has been allocated Sh45 billion for the construction of 775 kilometres of roads across its six constituencies, according to the Deputy President. He also cited the construction of modern