Fiery MP Mpuru Aburi in line of fire as rivals plot his downfall

The battle for Tigania East Constituency will attract more attention than usual, with incumbent MP Mpuru Aburi in the line of fire against determined onslaught from three opponents.

This year’s General Election will provide a defining moment for the one-term MP who is one of the only two elected on ODM ticket in eastern and Mt Kenya regions in the 2013 General Election.

But he will be going to the polls under a cloud of unfriendly relationship with his erstwhile party leader Raila Odinga after he ditched ODM for Jubilee which has a huge following in the constituency.

The other ODM legislator who also defected to Jubilee is Igembe Central MP Kubai Iringo.

It is this wave that forced Mr Aburi to re-align himself with the movement after realising that it would be an uphill task trying to sell an opposition party again in the constituency.

LATEST DEFECTION

However, he is not worried that his latest defection could be his undoing as it depicts him as a politician with no stand. 

“Everyone keeps on asking why I defected. Why is it that no one asks Raila Odinga why he has defected countless times to be presently the ODM leader?” he posed.

The incumbent will also be relying on several development projects which he has initiated to convince voters to give him a second term.

Many of the projects have come under the National Government-Constituency Development Fund programme, in which he cites fair distribution and effective management of the kitty.

“I have been at the grassroots with my people. That is why there is not so much attention on my person,” he told the Nation.

Since early 1990s when he joined politics, Mr Aburi has never gone with the political wave in Meru. During the Narc wave in 2002, he vied for the Tigania East seat on a Kanu ticket and lost to Peter Munya, now Meru Governor, with 130 votes.

BUILT MANY CLASSROOMS

He lost again in 2007 to Munya with 80 votes. In the 2013 General Election, he polled 27,200 votes against his closest rival’s 4,100 votes.

“I have built many classrooms and CDF usage for Tigania East is rated highly nationally. I am confident of making a comeback because people have seen my work and that is why they love me,” Mr Aburi said.

His close association with Senator Kiraitu Murungi and Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi has also boosted Jubilee’s presence in his Tigania-East turf.

The two are vying for Meru governor and senator seats respectively, forming the ‘Kikali’ political outfit together with Woman Representative Florence Kajuju. 

Mr Aburi said he fully supports the ‘Kikali’ outfit despite growing concerns that he could have parted ways with the grouping.

FRONT RUNNERS

“I have been busy with my campaigns and I can’t accompany them to all political rallies they attend. I have to campaign for myself as well,” he said.

However, it would be unwise if he underestimates the strength of other opponents seen as front runners.

They are Party of National Unity’s (PNU) Gichunge Kabeabea, Kanu’s Martin Mukenya and Mr Gikundi Ntuala of Narck-Kenya.

Big money is also likely to feature in the duel with Mr Kabeabea investing huge resources in his campaigns.

An aggressive grassroots campaigner, the PNU flagbearer has been raising dust in the constituency where he has pitched his campaign tent for the past one year.

NEED FOR CHANGE
The aspirant says there is an urgent need for change of political leadership in the constituency.

Due to poor leadership, the area lags behind in development, he said and urged voters to elect people with proven development track record instead of leaders who only engage in politicking.

Mr Ntuala, 39, is seeking to reactivate his old political network, being a former area CDF Manager. He will be banking on the support of youth.

“We have a statue in the name of an MP. My other opponents should prepare for a battle of their lifetime,” Mr Ntuala who once worked for the electoral commission said.

The youngest competitor, Martin Mukenya, 27, said he is not worried by his moneyed competitors but has the will to uplift the livelihoods of the locals.

“I am depending on my ability to mobilise to raise funds for my campaigns. It is time we demystified the mentality that only moneyed and old people can carry the day in politics,” he said.