MPs want Kiunjuri to succeed Uhuru as Mt Kenya kingpin

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri presents avocado seedlings to farmers at Nyaikungu Primary School in Kirinyaga County on November 1, 2019. PHOTO | GEORGE MUNENE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The MPs told Mr Kiunjuri on Friday that they would like him to takeover immediately after President Kenyatta's expected exit from State House in 2022.
  • Lawmakers Kabinga Wathayu (Mwea), Munene Wambugu (Kirinyaga Central) and Zachary Thuku (Kinangop) described Mr Kiunjuri as a seasoned leader capable of uniting all others in the region.

Three Jubilee members of Parliament want Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri to be the Mt Kenya kingpin after President Uhuru Kenyatta's retirement.

The MPs told Mr Kiunjuri on Friday that they would like him to takeover immediately after President Kenyatta's exit.

It is expected that Mr Kenyatta will leave State House in 2022 upon completing his second term.

'SEASONED'

Lawmakers Kabinga Wathayu (Mwea), Munene Wambugu (Kirinyaga Central) and Zachary Thuku (Kinangop) described Mr Kiunjuri as a seasoned leader capable of uniting all others in the region.

They said the region needs a vibrant person such as the CS to fight for the people's rights.

"The CS is an experienced leader so he should be appointed as the region's spokesman. We want him to lead us and tell us the political direction to take," said Mr Thuku.

Speaking at Nyaikungu Primary School in Kirinyaga County, the MPs further said they would ask their colleagues from the region to back Mr Kiunjuri for the position.

Mr Wambugu said, "We feel the region should be allocated more resources because it contributes enormously to the growth of the national economy. Only Mr Kiunjuri can ensure we get our rightful share of the national cake."

Mr Wathayu said Mr Kiunjuri is a hard working leader who should be elevated to the top in the region.

Five members of the Kirinyaga County Assembly - Pius Njogu (Thiba), Gudson Muchina (Tebere), Erastus Ireri (Ngariama), Fredrick Bundi (Njukiini) and Kinyua Wangui (Mutira) - echoed the MP's sentiments.

UNITY CALL

In response, Mr Kiunjuri told the leaders to unite in the fight for equal allocation of resources.

"If the leaders are divided, the region will lag behind in development," he said.

The Public Officer Ethics Act says "a public officer shall refrain from active politics except for exercising his/her right to vote at elections" and that "he/she shall not publicly express his/her personal views on political matters".

The CS then distributed 54,000 avocado and macadamia seedlings to Kirinyaga farmers.

He also announced that the national government had killed millions of quelea birds which had been wreaking havoc on rice farms in the giant Mwea Irrigation Scheme.