Governor Njuki defends move to scrap beauty contest

Tharaka-Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has told off ward reps in his county for demanding a beauty contest initiative.

In a statement discussed in the assembly last week, the representatives demanded answers from the governor on why he scrapped the beauty pageant that was started by his predecessor Samuel Ragwa and asked the responsible committee to table the response in the house within 14 days.

The MCAs accused Njuki's government of not recognising youths and vowed to ensure that the annual event is back as it helped in identifying and nurturing talents.

Speaking on Friday at Mwonge in Chuka/Igambang’ombe Constituency, Mr Njuki told the MCAs that he was not cowed by their threats and that he could not waste funds that is meant for important things such as health, water and roads to finance a beauty contest.

“I have important things to do with public funds and not financing people to catwalk in miniskirts as you watch,” said Mr Njuki.

He said the representatives and any other county official demanding for the contest was only hiding behind youth empowerment agenda to earn millions as planning allowances.

He pointed out that money allocated for such events do not benefit the poor youths who spend days practicing to catwalk and do other things but few county workers who pretend to be very busy in planning.

The county boss asked the MCAs to seek sponsorship of the pageant from beer companies and other firms that deal with beauty products such as body lotion and clothes.

“You can get sponsorship from companies that sell beer or those of beauty products because those are the things used during such events,” he said.

He said some people had resulted to intimidating him with 2022 election after realising that he would not give them public funds as they expected.

Mr Njuki said only voters will determine whether he will have a comeback in 2022 and was sure that they will look at the developments that he will have done.

He said county employees who worked in the last regime when public money was shared like food are now bitter with him and had started plotting for his downfall after he sealed all the loopholes.

“In the last regime, county employees used to buy goat at Kathwana market every Friday for eating during the weekend because they were stealing public money meant for the poor residents,” he said.

He disputed claims that he was stealing public resources noting that he had money even before he ventured into politics.

He said he built his home in Rubate in 2012 before joining politics in 2013.