Blame game emerges over political unrest in Mt Kenya

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru who observes that political disruptions in central Kenya have a common theme and that they are pushed by certain leaders from one. affiliation. She says it does not require a rocket scientist to know the person to be blamed. PHOTO | NDUNG'U GACHANE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • They say President has failed to show political direction, opting to keep mum and watching helplessly as his region tears itself into pieces.
  • Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua claimed that the chaos have originated from ODM and brought to Jubilee.
  • Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu claimed that the current situation in the region has been caused by DP Ruto.

Jubilee Party’s Kieleweke and Tangatanga factions have pointed fingers at President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga over the fracas that has become the political norm in Mt Kenya region, especially during church fundraisers.

While Team Tangatanga – a faction that supports Dr Ruto and his 2022 presidential bid – believes that it is Mr Odinga who is to blame for the chaos, they have at the same time accused the President of tolerating and encouraging the rifts in his own backyards by failing to take charge of the region where he is regarded as the kingpin.

POLITICAL DIRECTION

The leaders claim that despite the continued public spats between Mt Kenya leaders that sometimes culminate into fist fights and fracas especially in churches and during the launch of development projects in the region, the President, as the kingpin, has failed to show political direction, instead opting to keep mum and watching helplessly as his region tears itself into pieces.

The political turmoil in the region has been witnessed in Murang’a thrice – at ACK Church Kandara where MP Alice Wahome’s supporters booed Kiambu Woman Rep Gathoni Wa Muchomba, in Kenol when supporters allied to Dr Ruto made Murang’a Woman Rep Sabina Chege to cry in public and at Gitui Catholic Church when Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro disagreed with nominated MP Maina Kamanda on who should emcee the event.

FRACAS

Such incidences have also happened in Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Laikipia and Kiambu counties pitting Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, Governor Ann Waiguru and an MCA, Mr Kamanda and Laikipia Woman Rep Cate Waruguru and Kieleweke and Tangatanga supporters.

Following the emergence of the Jubilee factions, leaders affiliated to Tangatanga have revived calls for President Kenyatta to put his party in order and create a conducive environment for governance.

The leaders argue that there are elements within and outside Jubilee who are hell-bent on destroying the party for the government to become ungovernable and then take credit after the end of the current term.

ODM BLAMED

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua claimed that the chaos have originated from ODM and brought to Jubilee, saying the leaders who belong to the ruling party have never had fracas and that the chaotic scenes have only been experienced after the handshake between Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga.

“People like Ngunjiri Wambugu belonged to ODM and after the famous handshake, they imported their hooliganism to the Jubilee Party and to an extent Mt Kenya region. The MP has disrupted about four meetings and he has never been arrested. That’s why other leaders decided to follow suit,” Mr Gachagua said.

He added that since the handshake, the ruling party has lost focus on its Big Four agenda and concentrated on Mr Odinga’a referendum talk and corruption “rhetoric” which he said was not part of its objectives.

SABOTAGE

Ms Wahome (Kandara) claimed that some State officers could have joined others outside the government to sabotage the Jubilee administration’s objectives so that they can blame it of incapability to deliver.

“I believe this government has some elements who have been hired or are hell-bent to bring a split of the Jubilee Party to so that governance of the country can become impossible.

“The MPs who are supposed to deliver on President’s Big Four agenda are hunted and hounded from their areas of work while they can be reached by police by summons and it is absolutely nonsensical and unnecessary for police to waste resources by bringing contingents to arrest the MP,” she said in regard to the arrest of Mr Nyoro in connection to the Gitui church fracas.

DIALOGUE MEETING

On his part, Mr Nyoro urged the President to call for dialogue to unify the party, accusing ODM party leader Raila Odinga of wrecking the havoc in Jubilee.

“I beseech the President to invite us for a parliamentary group (PG) meeting. We can sit down and discuss how we shall bring to an end the internal conflicts,” he said.

But the Nyeri Town MP said the turmoil cannot not be cured by a parliamentary group meeting since it is only a Mt Kenya affair.

He claimed that the current situation in the region has been caused by DP Ruto.

MT KENYA PROBLEM

“The problem does not belong to Jubilee party and hence can’t be cured by calling for a PG. It is a Mt Kenya problem only and this is evident because it’s not being witnessed in other areas where Jubilee party has dominance.

“The problem is with Dr Ruto who has marshalled some leaders to popularise him for his 2022 Presidential bid and who have shifted their loyalty from the President to him and he has consistently allowed it to happen,” Mr Wambugu said.

COMMON THEME

On her part Governor Waiguru observes that all the disruptions have a common theme and that they are pushed by leaders of one political affiliation, saying it does not require a rocket scientist to know the person to be blamed.

“One only needs to look at whose followers the instigators of chaos are and you have the answer. The question we need to ask ourselves is, do we desire the leadership of chaos and intolerance?” she said, seemingly suggesting that Dr Ruto is the man behind the turmoil in central Kenya.

And Mr Kamanda, who pointed an accusing finger at Dr Ruto said, “Anyone thinking that he will divide our people to disrespect Uhuru Kenyatta or to insult and hate Mr Odinga is in for a rude shock. The train has left the station, a new Kenya is being reborn.”