Former nominated MP Wilson Sossion has strongly refuted claims that President William Ruto’s support in the Mt. Kenya region is dwindling.
With the president set to visit the region in late March or early April for his first development tour since the 2024 impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, speculation has been rife about his standing in the region.
Speaking during a live interview on Thursday, March 20, 2025, Sossion dismissed accusations that Ruto has been avoiding Mt. Kenya.
“The president is committed, and he has been traveling across Kenya. He has visited Western and Northern Kenya, spent a whole week in Nairobi, and toured the Coast. He will be in Mt. Kenya because he is the president and will visit the region. He has already been to Embu and Meru, which are part of the mountain,” Sossion stated.
Politicians Accused of Using Mt. Kenya for Personal Gain
As discussions intensify ahead of Ruto’s visit, Sossion praised the people of Mt. Kenya for their overwhelming support in the last election. However, he accused certain politicians of attempting to manipulate the president for their own selfish agendas, urging them to stop using the region as a bargaining chip.
“What is happening is that individual persons—not tribes, not regions—are using selfish interests to blackmail the president for personal self-entitlement. This is an attempt to manipulate the president, as some want to reduce him to pampering them individually while using the name of a region. The president should serve everyone and the entire country,” he asserted.
Ruto’s Commitment to Inclusivity and National Development
Sossion reiterated that Kenyans, including those from Mt. Kenya, voted for President Ruto based on his vision and policies rather than ethnic affiliations. He emphasized that the president remains dedicated to fostering inclusivity and equality in governance.
“Kenyans came out and voted for Ruto as individuals based on his agenda, including the people from the mountain. Their decision was guided by direct communication with the president, and that communication will continue. This should shape our politics alongside other progressive priorities such as education and infrastructure,” he stated.
Mt. Kenya Still Backs Ruto, Sossion Insists
Dismissing claims that Ruto has lost his grip on the region, Sossion challenged those making such assertions to present factual evidence.
“To try and say that Mt. Kenya people are gone! Which figures are you using? Where have they gone? Have they left Kenya? They are here and free to express themselves,” he insisted.
He further defended Ruto’s leadership, saying the president has been deliberate in fostering a broad-based government and pushing for political inclusivity.
“The president has not dropped the ball in de-ethnicizing the country and pushing the agenda of inclusivity. His rollout of a broad-based government has been intentional. Attempts to create the narrative that Mt. Kenya is under attack will be proven wrong in the fullness of time. Ruto will not drop Mt. Kenya—it remains a key area of interest for him, and he will visit the region,” Sossion affirmed.
With the president’s tour approaching, all eyes are on Mt. Kenya to see how the region will respond to his visit.
