Manyatta MP denies orchestrating heckling of President Ruto

By Robert Mutasi

Manyatta Member of Parliament John Mukunji denied accusations that he was behind the heckling of President William Ruto during his tour of Embu over the weekend.

President Ruto was booed in a public meeting by some residents who expressed displeasure with issues, attracting accusations of political interference.

Speaking to the media, Mukunji termed the allegations as "misplaced" and denied the ability to marshal such a multitude against the president.

The residents, he said, were only protesting against the ills that plague the county, especially in health.

"The claims that I organized this are baseless. I don't have the muscle to mobilize anyone against the president," said Mukunji. "The people were showing discontent, especially about healthcare, which is in a sorry state in Embu County."

The MP called on politicians and leaders to help solve the issues confronting the people rather than politicizing the leadership challenge, where genuine grievances need to be separated from political manipulation.

"Let them start telling the truth in politics. There is no satan here," said Mukunji. "I wonder, more than 43,000 people were present. Who is competent to round up 300,000 people to applaud some and jeer others? It doesn't make sense. It's critical that leadership issues be handled as they are and not turned into political propaganda."

Mukunji’s comments come amid growing discontent among Embu residents over various local challenges, particularly healthcare services.

The county has faced criticism for its deteriorating medical facilities and lack of adequate resources to meet the population’s needs.

The activities of the weekend have stirred an argument over what leadership should be giving the public on matters affecting their life interests, and how far is too far between political competition and real citizens' concerns.

Mukunji appealed for stakeholders to be upfront with solutions to pressing issues rather than diverting attention with accusations and counter accusations.

President Ruto has not commented directly on the heckling incident so far, but sources close to the presidency say his government is aware of the grievances aired by Embu residents and their needs will be acted upon.

With the dust settling down slowly, it remains an incident symptomatic of growing demands for accountability and better governance across counties and national levels.