Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has launched a fierce attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua following controversial remarks suggesting that students from the Mt Kenya region should be prioritised for admission to top schools within the region.
In an emotionally charged statement posted on X, Kuria accused Gachagua of pushing an agenda that risks reversing decades of progress made in using education as a tool for national integration.
He described the proposal as retrogressive, warning that it could entrench ethnic divisions among young Kenyans.
Kuria reflected on his own education journey under the former 7-4-2-3 system, saying he spent both his primary and secondary school years in day schools in Gatundu.
He noted that his first real interaction with students from other communities only came during his A-level studies at Thika High School, and later at the University of Nairobi.
He revealed that while serving as Gatundu South MP, he built dormitories and converted all 38 public secondary schools in the constituency into boarding schools.
The aim, he said, was to ensure learners interacted with peers from different ethnic backgrounds at an earlier stage, rather than waiting until university.
The former CS accused Gachagua of attempting to turn national schools into “village schools” by advocating for regional prioritisation.
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He framed the dispute as a moral and national issue, insisting it had nothing to do with President William Ruto or partisan politics.
“I will fight this,” Kuria said, adding that he believes defending national unity through education is a duty he cannot ignore.
Gachagua’s remarks have sparked widespread debate, with supporters arguing that local students are increasingly disadvantaged, while critics warn the proposal undermines merit-based admissions and national cohesion.