Stop duping people, President’s aide Munyori Buku tells group

Uhuru Mashinani chairman John Njuguna (centre) addresses a press conference in Nairobi on October 22, 2014. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE |

What you need to know:

  • The group is raising money from the public in eight counties with a promise to buy them land in Nakuru and Laikipia.
  • According to Munyori Buku, the group is operating in Nyeri, Nyandarua, Murang’a, Nakuru, Kajiado, Laikipia, Kiambu and Embu Counties.

State House is locked in a dispute with former campaigners of President Uhuru Kenyatta over a proposed plan to buy land in the Rift Valley.

The President’s office has, for the second time in a fortnight, disowned the Uhuru Mashinani Campaigners.

The group that was registered in 2012 in the run-up to the last General Election is raising money from the public in eight counties with a promise to buy them land in Nakuru and Laikipia.

On Friday, State House’s director of communication Mr Munyori Buku said Mr Kenyatta is “upset by the group’s collection of money”. He said they are misusing Mr Kenyatta’s name.

“The group is duping unsuspecting Kenyans that the President will reward them with land. They are asking for Sh1,200 for shares. The President has not given any land offer to anyone,” Mr Buku said.

NOT LINKED

He spoke a day after the group’s chairman John Njuguna alias Long John defended their activities at a press conference in Nairobi.

“We campaigned for Mr Kenyatta. After the election, we decided to buy land for our poor members,” Mr Njuguna said.

He admitted that they are recruiting members to buy land in Laikipia and Nakuru.

Mr Njuguna, however, said that the project is not linked to Mr Kenyatta.

“We are at an advanced stage in our plan to buy 4,600 acres in Subukia and a further 100 acres in Rumuruti. Our coordinators only ask for a registration fee of Sh500 while the share fees of Sh1,200 per share is paid through a bank,” Mr Njuguna said.

Mr Njuguna produced documents to show the group was registered in November 2012.

“We’re a legal entity. If anybody has proof any wrong-doing linked to us, they should have us arrested. We are only working with poor Kenyans to empower ourselves,” Mr Njuguna said.

He claimed the membership stood at 3,000 and so far they have raised Sh15 million.

According to Mr Buku, the group is operating in Nyeri, Nyandarua, Murang’a, Nakuru, Kajiado, Laikipia, Kiambu and Embu Counties.

“They’re using Mr Kenyatta’s name for self-interest,” Mr Buku said.