In a post shared on his X account, Kuria said national schools represent one of Kenya’s last remaining symbols of shared values and national cohesion.
He argued that dragging ethnicity and regional interests into the discussion threatens the very foundation upon which these schools were established.
Kuria took issue with Gachagua’s belief that his past association with Alliance High School gives him moral authority to dictate who should be admitted.
According to Kuria, Gachagua’s link to Alliance is limited to supplying milk to the school during his time as a District Officer in the 1990s.
He dismissed the idea that such an association grants anyone ownership or special influence over a national institution.
The former advisor warned that framing national schools as regional or community property undermines merit-based admission and weakens national unity.
He stressed that institutions like Alliance High School were created to bring together students from all parts of the country, regardless of ethnicity or place of origin.
Kuria’s remarks come amid an intense national debate sparked by Gachagua, who has questioned why students from outside the Mt Kenya region are admitted to top schools located in the area.
Supporters of Gachagua argue that host communities deserve priority, especially when their children perform well academically.
However, critics like Kuria say such arguments risk reversing decades of progress toward integration and inclusivity in education.
He cautioned that once national schools are tribalized, other public institutions could soon follow the same path.
Kuria urged leaders to act responsibly and protect national symbols from divisive politics.
As the debate continues, his comments add a strong countervoice, reinforcing calls to preserve national schools as spaces that promote unity, diversity, and equal opportunity for all Kenyan students.