Deputy President Kithure Kindiki during Kitui West Constituency Economic Empowerment Programme for Women Groups at Kwa Mutonga in Kitui County.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki may have failed to convince Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to join President William Ruto’s administration as he had intended during a three-week tour of the Ukambani region but he has succeeded in exposing Mr Musyoka’s soft underbelly.
A star-studded team of President Ruto’s allies led by Prof Kindiki wound up a three-week whirlwind tour of the Ukambani region on Monday with two women and youth empowerment forums at Mitaboni Township in Machakos County and Nguni Township in Kitui County.
Talk on unlocking Ukambani’s economic potential dominated the tours across the region. Throughout the three weeks, President Ruto’s allies have sought to create the impression that the Kenya Kwanza administration was keen on improving Ukambani’s economic fortunes through rolling out roads, rural electrification and other infrastructure projects.
“For the last 60 years, the government has been supporting farmers in coffee, milk, and tea. However, the government has been sidelining farmers who grow pigeon peas, cow peas, mung beans, oranges and citrus fruits which do well in Ukambani. We have agreed with Ukambani MPs to set aside funds to incentivize the production of crops which do well in Ukambani the way we support crops which do well in other regions. We are planning a meeting of at least 20,000 pigeon peas, cow peas, mung beans, oranges and citrus fruits farmers,” Prof Kindiki said.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki hosts Ukambani MCAs at his official residence in Karen.
The last three days have seen the team of President Ruto’s allies intensify efforts to drive a wedge between Mr Musyoka and his newly found ally former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua after Mr Musyoka turned down Prof Kindiki’s overture.
“Forget about the cousin talk which is being peddled by the tribal bigots we kicked out of the government. Prof Kindiki is our brother,” Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse said in reference to Prof Kindiki’s roots in Kitui County.
According to political analysts, the growing interest in the Ukambani voting bloc is part of a broader scheme by President Ruto to scuttle the budding relationship between Mr Musyoka and Mr Rigathi Gachagua who have positioned themselves as the Ukambani and Mount Kenya political kingpins respectively ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The tours which took Prof Kindiki and allies of President Ruto in all corners of Ukambani were meant to pave the way for President Ruto’s tour of the region which is slated for next month.
Mr Musyoka has engaged an overdrive to fight back after more than 100 MCAs from Kitui, Machakos and Makueni counties declared readiness to work with President Ruto in their recent meeting with Prof Kindiki. They include Wiper MCAs and MPs. A bid by Mr Musyoka to crack the whip on dissenters has emboldened them to identify with President Ruto.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki interacts with residents during Kitui West economic empowerment engagement.
This comes as Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti leads allies of Mr Musyoka to call for the elimination of anyone who is not allied to the former vice president.
“Kalonzo needs to enjoy absolute support at home. We need to weed out madoadoa (spots),” she said at a recent Sunday service in what was understood to refer to allies of President Ruto.
Mavoko MP Patrick Makau is among Mr Musyoka’s allies who have openly defied him. The vocal politician strongly believes that Mr Musyoka and the Ukambani voting bloc have nothing to gain from Mr Gachagua.
“You are a dictator. I don't know what your followers see in you. I want to tell those following you to stop because you are a dangerous snake,” a seemingly furious Mr Makau said recently.
Mr Makau spoke shortly after a group of his supporters staged a demonstration at Athi River Township protesting what they termed as disrespect on the MP by Mr Gachagua.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki acknowledges greetings from residents and leaders during an economic empowerment engagement in support of women and youth groups in Katangi in Yatta Constituency, Machakos County on June 14,2025.
The two events followed an attack on Mr Makau by Mr Gachagua. The Democracy for Citizens Party leader singled out the vocal MP as he led the charge against President Ruto. He directed Ms Ndeti to crush Mr Makau whom he accused of being on President Ruto's beck and call. “We are going to kill the snake and its eggs,” Mr Gachagua said metaphorically.
A defiant Mr Makau has since been supporting the women empowerment programmes organised by Prof Kindiki. Mwingi West MP Charles Nguna and his Taveta counterpart John Bwire have separately expressed similar misgivings with Mr Musyoka’s newly found political friend. They have switched from Mr Musyoka’s camp to President Ruto’s camp. Their defiance is replicated in Kitui Speaker Kelvin Kinengo and his Machakos counterpart Anne Kiusya.
“You have heard Kalonzo tell me to go for good. I have gone for good,” Ms Kiusya said when she joined Prof Kindiki during a recent women empowerment drive graced by Prof Kindiki at Machakos Town.
Ms Jacklin Kalenga, a Wiper nominated MCA, has set tongues wagging after literally singing praises to Prof Kindiki and President Ruto during a women empowerment drive at Kwamutonga Township in Kitui County on Friday.
She is among those who have defied Mr Musyoka.
“We shall not relent in assisting our people to access the support provided by the Kenya Kwanza administration. In Kitui County, Prof Kindiki’s caravan has left behind at least Sh7 million shillings in each constituency. This means a lot of organized women groups. When election time comes, we shall allow the people to exercise their democratic rights,” she told the Nation.
