A statement by lawyer Wahome Thuku has drawn attention to simmering political discontent within the Mt Kenya region, with claims of a growing but undefined grievance against President William Ruto and his administration.
In a social media post published Thursday, July 23, Thuku suggested that sections of the Kikuyu community feel uniquely aggrieved by the government, despite being unable—or unwilling—to clearly articulate the specific issue.
“There is something very, very wrong your government has done to the Mt Kenya East/West community… and Kikuyu in particular,” Thuku wrote.
“Something that you have not done to the other 40 tribes.”
The lawyer was careful to separate the alleged grievance from broader national concerns such as taxation, governance failures, or cases of police excesses, arguing that those affect all Kenyans regardless of ethnicity.
“It’s not the killing of young people… it’s not overtaxing… it’s not giving empty promises because you have done that across the country,” he stated, adding that the concern in Mt Kenya appears more targeted and deeply felt.
Thuku described the sentiment as difficult to define but emotionally charged, likening it to a “guided” action against the community.
He further claimed that many residents share the feeling but resist being pressed for specifics.
“We may not point it out very clearly for now… but we have that feeling that you have done something very wrong,” he wrote.
To illustrate the mood, Thuku recounted an encounter in Nyeri involving a woman who reportedly expressed strong opposition to the President but struggled to explain why when questioned.
“She swore she would never vote for you… but went quiet when asked to name what exactly had been done,” he said.
The remarks come amid evolving political dynamics in the Mt Kenya region, which played a significant role in President Ruto’s 2022 electoral victory.
William Ruto has served as Kenya’s head of state since September 2022 following a tightly contested election.