NYERI, Kenya, Sep 5–The vote-rich Mt Kenya region is the busiest politically, as the country prepares for next year’s General Election when President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second and final term comes to and end.
Key candidates keen to succeed him have lately intensified campaigns strategies and meetings in the region to outsmart each other in what has left the mountain that is Kenyatta’s backyard largely divided.
A week after former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who is also the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader pitched camp in the region accompanied by some local legislators loyal to the president, Deputy President William Ruto has trained his guns there, starting with a meeting of a section of local leaders.
The meeting started on Friday night, culminating to a declaration read out on Saturday where those allied to the DP assured him of their support in the August 2022 presidential election.
“We as leaders from this region want to say that after through deliberations, we have come to the conclusion that a single party with national outlook is the best for this nation,” nominated MP Cecily Mbarire who read the resolutions said.
Ruto was expected in Kieni in Nyeri County on Sunday to join the leaders who had been meeting since Friday night.
The region has lately seen new realignments as leaders position themselves ahead of the election. Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has teamed up with Mwangi Kiunjuri and Martha Karua who all have parties they say will help champion the interests of the region.
While Kuria was supportive of Ruto, he maintains he is uncomfortable with the DP’s demand that leaders ready to work with UDA must first ditch their parties. Kuria, Kiunjuri and Karua did not attend the Saturday caucus.
And ahead of Ruto’s Sunday visit to Mt Kenya, youths opposed to the visit barricaded roads raising tension that led to the deployment of heavy security personnel.
The caucus which met on Saturday dismissed regional outfits formed by a section of leaders in the region saying they seek to promote sectarian interests through Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The leaders opined that a single party where all Kenyans are involved will ensure a progressive economic blueprint is well articulated for the prosperity of the nation.
“We as leaders are opposed to ethnic political parties that will divide the nation. It will be prudent if we come together under one umbrella as a nation,” said Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua.
The leaders cited UDA as the best suited party for the region due to its national outlook.
They however complained of what they described as ‘weaponization’ of government agencies including the Kenya Revenue Authority and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to settle political scores.
Speaking in a separate forum however, Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina urged Mt Kenya leaders to sit down and deliberate on the region’s political future.
“As a respected politician in this region, I want to urge our leaders to come together and talk on the future rather than joining alliances,” said Maina.
He urged leaders to put aside their differences and chat a path with the region’s interest at heart.
Mt Kenya region is deeply divided with two rival groups emerging following the fallout of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, Ruto.
Kenyatta has been seeking to whittle down Ruto’s influence in the region while appearing to work towards uniting his former political rivals including ODM leaders Raila Odinga and Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka to take on Ruto in the August 9, 2022 presidential election.
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