Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi has denied endorsing the proposed political separation of Mt Kenya East from Mt Kenya West, calling a statement circulating online fake. Muturi said the document, presented as a joint statement by Mt Kenya East leaders, was neither authored nor approved by him and bore a forged signature.
“I did not author it, I did not sign it and I did not consent to its publication or circulation. The signature attributed to me has been forged,” Muturi said in a statement issued on Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Dated September 2, the disputed document was presented as a joint position by leaders from Meru, Embu and Tharaka-Nithi. It claimed Mt Kenya East had been politically and economically marginalised despite its contribution to national elections. It alleged that the region had received fewer government appointments, development projects and other opportunities than Mt Kenya West. The statement also purported to declare that Mt Kenya East leaders would independently determine their political direction ahead of the 2027 General Election. Muturi’s denial means the document cannot be treated as his position.
Muturi accused unnamed government actors of using misinformation and propaganda to divide political leaders. He said his views would be communicated only through channels under his control and urged Kenyans, journalists and politicians not to circulate the document. The former National Assembly Speaker said the alleged forgery sought to create divisions among opposition figures as political activity ahead of the 2027 election intensifies. The allegations about who produced or circulated the document have not been independently verified.
The document listed several prominent figures as purported signatories, including Muturi, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, former Meru governors Kiraitu Murungi, Mithika Linturi and Kawira Mwangaza, and Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti. It argued that Mt Kenya East should no longer be treated as part of a single political bloc with Mt Kenya West, but should determine its own political strategy. The document also appeared to reject calls for regional parties to dissolve or join the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. However, Muturi has disowned the document. Its claims cannot be presented as a collective position of the named leaders without confirmation from each of them.
The controversy comes amid growing debate over the political relationship between Mt Kenya East and Mt Kenya West ahead of the 2027 elections. Mt Kenya East generally refers to Meru, Embu and Tharaka-Nithi, while Mt Kenya West includes Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua and Laikipia. Some leaders argue that Mt Kenya East should have greater control over its political decisions and pursue a separate political identity. Geoffrey Ruku has been among the prominent advocates of that position, contributing to wider debate over how the region should organise itself ahead of the election. The issue is politically significant because the wider Mt Kenya region has traditionally been an important voting bloc in Kenyan presidential elections.
Muturi’s statement does not endorse the separation proposal. He has specifically rejected the document linking him to the push for Mt Kenya East to chart a separate political course. His intervention also highlights the role of misinformation in political debates, particularly as politicians and supporters increasingly use social media to circulate statements and positions. For now, Muturi’s verified position is that he did not sign, authorise or approve the disputed statement. Any position in the document should be attributed to its purported authors only after they independently confirm it. The wider Mt Kenya debate continues, but Muturi’s name cannot be used as evidence that he supports separating Mt Kenya East from Mt Kenya West.