Uhuru convinces Mt Kenya MPs to reduce politicking

President Uhuru Kenyatta may have succeeded in convincing Mt Kenya MPs to tone down political rhetoric.

Signs of this emerged on Tuesday when at least 56 MPs and four Cabinet secretaries from the region held a meeting at Hotel La Mada to address the challenges facing the region in a follow up to the declarations they had made in Naivasha last month.

A source who attended the meeting told the Sunday Nation that legislators agreed to tone down political rhetoric and heed the President’s advice to focus on the welfare of the people.

For the first time, politics was not part of the agenda, according to the source, suggesting that the leaders had taken seriously the President’s order that they should stop “loitering” and instead engage members of Executive to address the development needs of the region.

REVENUE SHARING

Two weeks ago, the MPs lambasted the revenue sharing formula and proposed that county allocation revenue be based on population and contribution to national cake.

They argued that the current formula that factors in land mass and poverty levels has made the national government to neglect the region in allocation of resources.

The President hit out at the leaders, whose previous meeting resulted in various demands, including seeking to have a say in who succeeds him in the next polls.

The President was particularly irked that the leaders were the loudest in the 2022 succession politics when there is a lot to be accomplished.

His call was driven by claims that he had become lame duck and thus could not determine the course of politics in the region.

CONSTANT CAMPAIGN

The absence of politics in the meeting is a clear blow to the Deputy President William Ruto-leaning MPs from the region who have been on a constant campaign for the 2022 presidential election, inviting the wrath of the president.

The lawmakers who attended the Hotel La Mada meeting have refused to discuss what was said. But we have learnt that a special committee was established to coordinate the issues raised by the legislators will be addressed

Nyeri senator Ephraim Maina who did not attend the meeting because he was out of the country on official business welcomed it.

“There is nothing strange or peculiar when people meet to discuss social economic issues. The meeting ought not to draw unnecessary attention.

“We should not read much from such a meeting because those who met are representatives of the people. Other communities meet all the time and its never in the news,” said the senator.

LINK

Cabinet secretary for Industrialisation Peter Munyahas been identified as the link between the politicians and the Executive and he is supposed to brief the President and ensure that all the issues raised are implemented.

In a communication send to members after the meeting, nominated Cecily Mbarire, who is the chairperson of the team, thanked the lawmakers who attended the meeting she described as “successful”.

“I want to thank all the members who attended a very successful meeting till 11pm. Kindly may I request the committee chairs to engage a higher gear and have their reports revised as proposed by members. Final documents must be with us by Monday next week,” reads the message.

She asked all constituency members to urgently give a comprehensive report on staffing status in secondary and primary schools and state of technical and vocational education and training.

“This should include the level of completion, equipping and staffing, etc. The report should be well typed and handed to Limuru MP Peter Mwathi,” reads the message, reminding all that the group is working against time as the budget cycle has started and government agencies are preparing their budgets.