By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, July 5, 2026 -President William Ruto has urged Mt Kenya residents to judge his administration by its record in office rather than claims over who delivered the region's votes in the 2022 General Election, insisting he personally earned their support through direct engagement.
Speaking during a Sunday service at the Full Gospel Church in Gatunduri, Embu County, the President dismissed assertions that other political leaders were solely responsible for his victory in the vote-rich region.
Instead, he said the relationship between his administration and the people of Mt Kenya was built on campaign promises that his government is now working to fulfil.
"I came here and asked you to vote for me, and you did. Do you remember? You saw me looking for votes here, in your churches, and I asked you to pray for me, and you gave me your votes," Ruto told the congregation.
Without naming former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, the President appeared to reject repeated claims that one individual mobilised the region behind his presidential bid.
"But I hear some people arrogantly saying that they are the ones who asked you to vote for me," he said.
"They are implying that I did not come to ask for votes in Embu and that they are the ones who looked for votes for me."
Ruto maintained that voters backed him after agreeing on a shared development agenda during his campaign tours across the region.
"You voted for me, Embu people, because I asked you to do that and we agreed that we will work together."
Rather than dwell on political disputes, the President challenged residents to assess his government based on the promises it has delivered.
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"Come next year, we will come to take stock of what we have achieved. We will have a test," he said.
The President cited agriculture and education as some of the sectors where his administration has made progress.
He said the government had reduced fertiliser prices, introduced reforms to improve coffee farmers' earnings and significantly increased investment in education.
"We talked about agriculture, you know, the price of fertiliser now, it has reduced. We talked about improving coffee prices, which we have done," he said.
Ruto also said his administration had recruited 100,000 teachers since taking office and increased the education budget from Sh500 billion in 2022 to Sh734 billion in the current financial year.
"We have made tremendous strides in education. I have employed 100,000 teachers in four years," he said.
The President urged leaders to avoid what he termed arrogance and instead concentrate on serving wananchi.
His remarks come amid an ongoing political fallout with Gachagua, who has repeatedly argued that he played a decisive role in delivering the Mt Kenya vote to the Kenya Kwanza coalition during the 2022 elections. Ruto, however, insisted the support came directly from voters who responded to his campaign message and development agenda.
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