NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 7 – Mt Kenya Foundation (MKF) leaders said Thursday they were yet to decide on the presidential candidate they will back to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in next year’s election.
The foundation that is made up influential tycoons from the region have so far hosted luncheons for presidential aspirants Raila Odinga and principals of the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) to listen to their agenda for the country and Mt Kenya.
They first held a meeting last week with Odinga, the former Prime Minister who is also the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party before hosting OKA principals Musalia Mudavadi of the Amani National Congress (ANC), Gideon Moi (KANU), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya).
During the Thursday luncheon, MKF Vice-Chairman Titus Ibui said, “We have not made up our mind on who to support. We have not endorsed anyone.”
It still remains unclear if the tycoons will also meet Deputy President William Ruto who is seeking the presidency under his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
There has been wide speculation that MKF favours Odinga who is a close ally of President Kenyatta since their March 2018 handshake.
“Our meetings with Odinga and OKA was meant to invite them to Mt Kenya to campaign and sell their policies to the people,” the foundation said, “we have not decided on who to support. We will make that decision later and it will include consultations with the people,” Ibui said in his closing remarks at the luncheon.
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi during a luncheon hosted by Mt Kenya Foundation (MKF) tycoons at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi on October 7, 2021.
The foundation however, asked politicians and presidential aspirants to respect the president.
“We only ask you one thing, as you go out to sell your policies, do not disrespect our President. If you don’t respect our President, the people of the Mt Kenya region will not be with you Uhuru to us is not just a leader, he is mũthamaki (The King),” Ibui said.
United Democratic Party Leader Cyrus Jirongo, who is a member of the OKA team cautioned the foundation against preferring any candidate at this stage.
“We are willing Raila to be our President tomorrow if the programme is fair; but you must be willing to make Musalia, Gideon or Kalonzo to be a President’s tomorrow because all of them are equally and fairly…msikuje na preferred candidate, mtaaribu karibu kabisa (you’ll spoil),” he said.
Embu Governor Martin Wamobora said it was imperative for Mt Kenya leaders to meet the presidential aspirants to get to understand their aspirations for the country.
“Mount Kenya is agitated because we are not going to field our own candidate and we know we are exposed. We have done statistics and found that the economy of Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan cannot match the economy of Mt Kenya region and yet we as the 11 Governors in the region cannot give exceptionally brilliant students from our region Sh10,000 University bursary because we are not getting our fair share. This cannot continue, that is why we are afraid,” he said.
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