Waiguru and Kibicho bury the hatchet, resolve to work together
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru (centre) and Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho (2nd right) after a meeting in Sagana on March 3, 2021. They resolved to work together to ensure the BBI document is passed at the referendum.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho have resolved to put aside their political differences and work together to ensure the proposed constitutional changes contained in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) are passed at the referendum.
The two reconciled Wednesday during a closed door leaders' meeting in Sagana town convened to discuss the BBI campaign strategy for Kirinyaga County and central Kenya by extension.
According to insiders, the governor and Dr Kibicho reunited for a common goal.
"The county boss and the PS decided to come together to drum up support for BBI. They noted that the country is bigger than an individual and declared ceasefire to ensure BBI is voted for by all residents," an insider who sought anonymity said.
The meeting also brought together ward representatives, Senator Charles Kibiru and Infrastructure Principal Secretary Paul Maringa.
Conspicuously absent
However, two Members of Parliament, Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu) George Kariuki (Ndia) and Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici were conspicuously absent. The legislators are allied to Deputy President William Ruto who has shown lukewarm support for the BBI.
Governor Waiguru and Dr Kibicho had been at loggerheads for a long time. At one time, she wrote an open letter to the PS accusing him of undermining her.
She hit out at Dr Kibicho for inspecting development projects in Kirinyaga without informing her and allegedly engaging in politics despite being a civil servant.
Kemri project row
She accused Dr Kibicho of meddling in the controversial Sh15 million Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) project in Wamumu and challenged him to resign and join politics.
During the visit, Dr Kibicho appeared to blame the delay in building the project on Governor Waiguru's administration.
"What is PS Kibicho's interest in this project?" Ms Waiguru asked then.
She explained that President Uhuru Kenyatta required a memorandum of understanding to be signed between the county and Kemri so that the interests of Kirinyaga residents, whom she was elected to represent, were taken into account.
Ms Waiguru had also blamed her impeachment by Kirinyaga MCAs on Dr Kibicho. Ward reps had last year resolved to send the governor packing but she was saved by the Senate which said she had not grossly violated the Constitution as alleged by the county legislators.
BBI referendum
During Wednesday’s meeting, the leaders exuded confidence that the BBI document will be passed if a referendum is held.
The leaders said they will conduct civic education at the grassroots to ensure the residents understand the contents of the document.
“I have read the document and understood it. BBI is good and we would like the residents also to know that," said Ms Waiguru while thanking Kirinyaga ward representatives for unanimously passing the Bill.
Dr Kibicho reiterated that residents will not be coerced to support the document.
“We shall peacefully educate the residents and make them understand [it] so that they can embrace BBI," he said.
