Laikipia Woman Representative Jane Kagiri has ignited a political firestorm by asserting that Laikipia County is not part of the Mt. Kenya region, challenging the conventional political map ahead of President William Ruto’s crucial visit.

Her claims, made during a televised interview on Monday, March 31, 2025, offer five key reasons for her stance:

1. Geographical Location

Kagiri argues that Laikipia is geographically located in the Rift Valley, not Mt. Kenya.

“But allow me to also correct that Laikipia is not in Mt Kenya. Laikipia is in Rift Valley if we all remember our geography,” she stated.

This geographical distinction forms the bedrock of her argument, challenging the political grouping of the county with Mt. Kenya.

2. Political Opportunism

Kagiri claims that Laikipia is only considered part of Mt. Kenya for political expediency.

“What happens, and I have refused my people to be misled, when elections are near or when votes have counted and when anybody is under siege and believes they need votes, they rush and call Laikipia Mt Kenya. The minute that is done we are thrown back to Rift Valley and told to go look for development there,” she explained.

This points to a perceived pattern of political manipulation.

3. Economic Disparity

Kagiri highlighted the stark economic differences between Laikipia and counties traditionally considered part of Mt. Kenya, such as Nyeri.

“Today I go back to my county of Laikipia, my people still have to walk 17 km to get water. I look at my county of Laikipia out of a 100 percent of the household only 20 per cent are connected to electricity. I look at the situation of tarmac – in 3000 km of roads in Laikipia county, less than 900 km are covered by tarmac. That tells you that is even less than 30 per cent,” she lamented, contrasting this with the relative development in Nyeri.

4. Historical Injustices

Kagiri further pointed out that Laikipia is classified as a beneficiary of the equalization fund due to historical injustices, a status not typically associated with Mt. Kenya counties.

“And that is why even when you come to the equalization fund, Laikipia features as one of the beneficiaries of historical injustices,” she said. This economic marginalization, according to her argument seperates Laikipia from Mt Kenya.

5. Defense of Development Interests

Kagiri defended her decision to remain loyal to President Ruto’s government, even after the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, citing the development needs of Laikipia.

“When it came to the impeachment time, to most Kenyans they thought it was an issue of an individual. But beyond that, it was a question of ‘do you want to remain in government or do you want to exit government?’. Those were the two clear questions on that day,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of staying aligned with the ruling party to secure development for her county.

Kagiri’s statements have injected a new layer of complexity into the political dynamics of President Ruto’s upcoming tour, raising questions about regional identity and development priorities.