Speaking in Othaya during a church event
attended by Ruto, the governor dismissed criticism over his newfound
closeness to the head of state, framing it as a results-driven decision.
With it, Kahiga
signals a shift that could reshape Mt Kenya politics ahead of 2027, given he is
the only governor and among the few leaders in the region who stood with the former DP.
“I am seeing some people getting surprised that
I am walking with the President. Let me say here, we have been engaging, and he
has been supporting us,” Kahiga said during the consecration of AIPCA Holy Oil, Mukaro South Diocese.
He pointed to a string of projects he attributed to the President’s
intervention, including the expansion of Mwai Kibaki Hospital, where he said
the national government provided Sh500 million to increase bed capacity by 120.
Kahiga also revealed that plans to upgrade the ageing Nyeri County Referral
Hospital, which was built in 1927, are now underway, with a Chinese contractor
already on site for a Sh1 billion project.
On infrastructure, the governor credited Ruto
for reviving stalled works at Ruring’u Stadium, expressing confidence it will
be ready to host Jamhuri Day celebrations later this year.
He further cited a
presidential commitment to extend the Kenol–Marua dual carriageway to Nyeri town and Mweiga as a key factor behind his support.
“So to whomever is still wondering why I am
walking with the President, that is my response. I will continue working with
him because he is delivering,” Kahiga declared.
In what appeared to be a direct jab at
Gachagua and his allies, the governor criticised what he termed as relentless
opposition attacks on the government, warning that they are only undermining
service delivery.
“We elected this government to work for us.
How will it work if your work is to fight it and make noise at it every day?”
he posed.
Kahiga’s remarks mark a notable departure from
Gachagua’s hardline stance against the Kenya Kwanza administration following
their fallout.
While sources in Nyeri say Kahiga has been under immense pressure to back
the President, his public pronouncements and praise for the President leave no
doubt his new political home.
The two-term governor had previously outlined
specific conditions for backing Ruto’s re-election, including the completion of
the Ruring’u Stadium, expansion of the dual carriageway, and upgrading of the
county referral hospital.
Just days earlier, Kahiga had urged voters to
prioritise candidates’ agendas over party affiliations, a position that further
distances him from Gachagua’s push to consolidate the region under the Democracy for the Citizens Party.
“Don’t elect parties. Parties don’t work for
you. The individual you elect is the one who will deliver, regardless of
party,” he said during the Nyeri County Prayer Breakfast.
Put together, comments and recent developments
put him at odds with Gachagua, who has insisted that his party will be the
dominant political vehicle in Mt Kenya heading into the next election.
Gachagua, reacting to Ruto’s visit to Othaya,
accused the President of attempting to win over the region through handouts and
influence, particularly targeting the church, following a recent show of
opposition unity involving former President Uhuru
Kenyatta.
But Kahiga’s public endorsement demonstrate the
gains Ruto may be regaining in a region that was critical in him winning the presidency.
Among the hard critics in the region that he has won back from the Gachagua
camp include MPs Mary Wamaua (Maragua), George Koimburi (Juja) and Gathoni Wamuchomba
(Githunguri).
