Ruto using Meru leaders to hit me, Munya says

Meru Governor Peter Munya has accused Deputy President William Ruto of using Meru leaders to hit out at him because of his firm stand on joining Jubilee Party.

Mr Munya has singled out Senator Kiraitu Murungi among other Jubilee diehards as those being used by the DP.

He says his critics are envious of his development record as they had nothing to show for their long stay in government apart from being linked to mega graft.

Addressing a public rally at the Maua stadium on Thursday evening, Mr Munya also accused Mr Ruto of fighting him because he has declared he would vie against him for the presidency in 2022.

He said unlike Mr Ruto, President Uhuru Kenyatta had no problem with him.

Mr Munya told Mr Murungi that, having been in politics for 35 years, it was time for him to quit, and joked that "we will even give him a TV to enjoy himself."

He said locals would strongly protect their votes in next year's polls to avoid rigging.

SINGLE-PARTY DICTATORSHIP

Mr Munya, who has crossed swords with Jubilee's top brass for opposing the merging of affiliate parties, said the move would return the country to single-party dictatorship.

"Kenya is a multiparty democracy and everybody has a right join any entity," he said.

"We will not be forced to join any party. If you feel yours is powerful, stay in it and let me stay in mine," he said.

He said his dream is to drive his people to State House in 2022.

He led locals in a show of hands that the presidency should come from Mt Kenya East.

Mr Munya said the dream to make Meru great does not belong to Mr Murungi and that he should retire from politics honourably.

The Council of Governors chairman marketed his new party, Party of National Unity (PNU), and urged locals to join it.

He said he consulted widely before joining retired President Mwai Kibaki's party.

He said PNU delegates will meet on September 9 to elect new officials.

ACHIEVEMENTS

He won applause from the crowd when he said he will seek the PNU party leader’s post and that the delegates meeting will go on whether "Kiraitu likes it or not."

He said he was a Tigania East MP on a PNU ticket and that he had just returned home.

Mr Munya told Mr Murungi, who has announced he will challenge him for the Meru gubernatorial seat, to keep off PNU issues.

"We will join PNU in large numbers whether it rains or not," he added.

Mr Munya had said PNU had agreed to dissolve and join the Jubilee Party and Mr Munya should shop for a new outfit.

The governor said Mr Murungi had nothing to show for his long stay in government as Energy minister yet he controlled billions of shillings.

Mr Munya, who was accompanied by his deputy Raphael Muriungi and Water executive Mary Mwiti, distributed sports kits, water tanks and pipes. He also oversaw a cancer screening campaign.

He also inspected roads being built by his government and street lights.

Mr Munya listed his government's achievement in health, infrastructure development, issuance of loans, water and agriculture adding that all parts of Meru had benefitted.

COUNTIES 'NOT BROKE'

He urged boda boda operators to join saccos.

He dismissed his critics, led by Mr Murungi, that he had performed dismally in development.

The governor also denied Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri's claims that counties were broke.

On miraa, a major economic mainstay for locals, he said he had sourced a market for the herb in Somaliland. He said he will also look for a market in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Deputy Governor Muriungi, county executives, members of the county assembly and other leaders who spoke pushed for the re-election of Mr Munya due his development record.

They also rallied the crowd behind the Council of Governors (CoG) chairman's hopes to be elected President in 2022.

They said it was due to Munya's leadership potential that he was elected CoG boss.

The leaders backed water executive Mwiti to vie for the woman representative's seat.

Also present was roads executive Newton Itobi and Martin Bikuri.