Politicians linking me to Raila betraying me, says Tharaka-Nithi Governor Ragwa

Tharaka-Nithi Governor Samuel Ragwa has distanced himself from ward representatives and other county officials who visited Cord co-principal Raila Odinga in Nairobi last week.

Speaking to the Nation on Wednesday, Mr Ragwa said he was not informed of the meeting nor welcomed or funded Mr Odinga’s recent visit in the county in which he was accompanied by Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi.

“I learnt of the meeting after reading a story on the Daily Nation online page and also saw photos circulating on social media which I even thought were photo-shopped,” said Mr Ragwa.

Mr Ragwa said those linking him with Mr Odinga are only betrayers who are seeking to benefit from the issue.

He said he has been a serious supporter of the Jubilee government but his rivals are portraying him as defiant in order to ruin his relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta for their own political benefit.

“The MCAs made their own decision to meet Mr Raila but everybody is pointing accusing fingers at me claiming I am acting behind the curtain,” he said.

IN JUBILEE TO STAY

The governor assured the president and the locals that he is in Jubilee to stay and Cord would be the last party or coalition he would join.

He said Tharaka-Nithi will remain a Jubilee Party stronghold and said anyone seeking election on a Cord ticket in the region will be committing political suicide.

However, he said politicians are at liberty to join or associate with any other political leader in the country in their own capacity but not on behalf of other leaders or even the community.

He asked the MCAs to give Mr Kenyatta another chance and stop misleading the residents.

“We cannot accuse the current government of underdevelopment in the county because we have various roads and irrigation projects whose work is ongoing,” said the governor.

Mount Kenya Region Youth Caucus chairman Reinford Mutembei asked the politicians joining the opposition to consult the locals before purporting to represent them.

APPEAL TO PRESIDENT

However, he asked the President to initiate development projects in Mount Kenya region especially Tharaka-Nithi and Meru counties where he gets a huge support.

“President (Kenyatta) should not concentrate development to regions that do not support him,” said Mr Mutembei.

He also called on Mr Kenyatta to address the issue of the Tharaka-Nithi County headquarters that he said Mr Odinga is capitalising on to lure the locals.

Governor Ragwa said he would soon be hosting the President in the county to commission various projects and launch others.

He said during the tour, Mr Kenyatta will visit Kathwana to stamp his authority that the market is the county headquarters and also launch the tarmacking of the market.

Meanwhile, Gatunga Ward MCA Muthengi Mubiu who defected from Kenya National Congress (NKC) to ODM during Mr Odinga’s visit in Kathwana said the ODM leader will tour Tharaka-Nithi in the mid-January.

“The county is set to welcome Mr Raila and let Jubilee note that Tharaka-Nithi will no longer be taken for granted,” said Mr Mubiu.

Mr Mubiu was one of the MCAs who held a secret meeting with Mr Odinga in Nairobi recently.