Lawmaker cautions Mount Kenya leaders on succession politics

Nyeri,

Thursday, January 25, 2024

KNA by Samuel Maina

Nyeri Senator, Wahome Wamatinga, has termed the on-going political bickering by a section of Mount Kenya leaders, as unhealthy for the region.

Wamatinga similarly faulted those dragging the name of Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, in succession debates, claiming they were painting the region in bad light, at a time when the residents are in dire need of basic services, such as health and quality life.

He is urging the leaders to revisit the Kenya Kwanza manifesto that spelt out among others the revival of the country’s economy through revamping of the agricultural sector to alleviate poverty among the populace.

“Since the formation of the Jubilee Party back in 2015, we had all along aspired to have a powerful political party, akin to African National Congress, Communist Party of China or Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania. Such a party was to outlast several generations and be a unifying factor in this country. Right now, we have the United Democratic Party, which has pledges to deliver. It would be therefore the height of lunacy for any leader from our region to start discussing the future of our Deputy Party leader (Rigathi Gachagua), at a time we should be coalescing around the government and supporting it in serving the people,” said the Senator during today’s Inooro TV morning show.

A section of elected leaders from Central Kenya and Mount Kenya East, recently started pushing to have a new face to deputize President Dr William Ruto, come 2027.

Among names being floated by the leaders include, current Kiharu Member of Parliament (MP), Ndindi Nyoro and Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS), Kindiki Kithure.

But early this week, Dr Ruto cautioned the leaders from engaging in succession politics and directed them to pursue programmes, that would uplift the lives of those who voted them into office.

The President who was speaking in Gilgil, Tuesday, termed such, an insult to Kenyans for elected leaders to start engaging in succession politics, while the electorates are looking up to them to address their pressing needs.

“I want to ask all leaders to focus attention on the delivery of the assignment given to us by Kenyans, especially leaders in Kenya Kwanza and the United Democratic Alliance. Riggy G (Rigathi) and I have a plan and we said we shall mentor the young men, but they should move with caution. They should not push us too much, because if they do so, things will go awry,” said Dr Ruto.

But Wamatinga is now advancing that casting aspersion to the personality of Deputy President, is too dangerous an undertaking for the country, if what happened to the late Vice President, Dr Josephat Karanja on May 1, 1989, was anything to go by.

 The Senator argues that the infamous impeachment of Dr Karanja, was spearheaded by a little-known mechanic turned-politician (Kuria Kanyingi), before it was perfected into a total onslaught by the late Embakasi MP David Mwenje.

Rather than suffer the ignominy of being hounded out of office, the embattled VP resigned after having occupied the second most powerful office for slightly over a year.

“The schemes that led to the resignation of the late Dr Josephat Karanja, were crafted by people from his own backyard of Kiambu. We don’t want to take such a slippery and reckless route by undermining our own. We all worked hard to put this government in power. Let us not now turn around and start discrediting those who can speak on our behalf and push for the grievances we have as a region,” he implored.

The Senator has also disclosed that leaders from Nyeri will have a meeting with Dr Ruto on Friday (tomorrow), where they plan to present a list of issues they wished addressed on behalf of the County.

He says the meeting, to be attended by Gachagua and Governor Kahiga Mutahi, would form a perfect platform of taking stock of all programmes the Kenya Kwanza government had promised to launch in the County besides delving into the challenges affecting coffee, milk and tea sector that formed the mainstay of the area’s economy.

“Our President has scheduled a meeting with all leaders from Nyeri County (tomorrow), which will be a very ideal forum to discuss matters affecting our people. Our people want to have issues of Guaranteed Minimum Returns (GMR) on coffee, milk and tea addressed. We would also wish to see all projects that had been earmarked for this area completed, including allocating personnel and resources to our Level Six health facilities. It is quite scary that patients are still dying on our roads, as they are being rushed to Nairobi for specialized treatment, owing to lack of critical equipment such as CT scanners and ICU machines. We hope and believe these issues will be addressed in total,” he added.

“We need to push for more resources as a region to fulfil the promises we made to our people. In 2027 our people will not be interested in the excuses we shall give them, but a score card that will vindicate us as far as our pre-election pledges are concerned,” he pointed out.

On security, the lawmaker told off those criticizing the government for rounding up suspected Mungiki adherents in the County and insisted that the exercise should go on until the group is decimated in the area.

Wamatinga said those luring young men into the proscribed sect, were doing so for their own selfish ends and should therefore not be allowed to destroy the lives of their targeted recruits.

“Our youth are hardworking and only want to be mentored on how they can earn a decent living instead of idling their time away. But it is unacceptable for any individual to take advantage of their situation to radicalize them into proscribed practices that will not alleviate their problems,” he said.

On December 31 last year, over 200 men were arrested by Police during a swoop in Nyeri County in a crackdown on the outlawed Mungiki group.

The 297 suspects aged between the age of 19 and 64 years, have already been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, contrary to Section 3(a) as read with Section 4(1) of the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act.

All have denied the charges and are currently out on a Sh10, 000 Cash Bail.

Courtesy; KNA