They say in politics there are no permanent enemies or friends. And this axiom cannot be truer than it currently is for Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, whose political survival seems dependent on an alliance with his erstwhile political nemesis Peter Munya.
The entry of Senator Mithika Linturi into the Meru gubernatorial contest has heightened the stakes for Governor Murungi, who has been bullish that he will maintain his unbeaten record in politics.
The odds now seem stacked against the governor following his decision to back ODM leader Raila Odinga at a time when Meru residents seem to be singing a different political tune.
Mr Murungi, who is revered for his 30-year political experience, is now in a catch 22. The Harvard-trained lawyer is caught between the need to defend his seat and drumming up support for Azimio, which is considered unpopular in the region.
According to an ally of the governor’s, the task ahead is gargantuan.
“The burden is now on the governor to raise the support of Mr Odinga because the Deputy President is very popular in Meru. He is facing a lot of backlash in his backyard. We are now banking on Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya as he holds a lot of sway in the Tigania and Igembe regions, where Azimio has support,” the ally said.
On Saturday, the backlash against Mr Murungi was so pronounced that even DP Ruto had fun campaigning against the county boss in his Nkubu backyard.
“Did you send governor Kiraitu to Azimio? If you didn’t send him there, will you vote him out and support Senator Linturi?” Dr Ruto posed to the charged crowd.
Speaking to Weru TV on Monday, Mr Murungi admitted that the Deputy President is popular in Meru, but added that fact would not deter him from supporting Azimio.
“It is true that (Dr) Ruto is leading in Meru and other Mt Kenya counties. However, Kenya is bigger than Meru. Based on our studies, Raila’s popularity is rising daily. By the month of May, Raila will be leading in popularity,” Mr Murungi said.
During a meeting with taxi operators in Nkubu over the weekend, the governor had a hard time explaining why he joined Azimio.
“Look at me clearly, the President of Kenya in August will be Raila Odinga. Love him or hate him, he will be President,” the governor said.
Mr Murungi told Weru TV that besides the possibility of Azimio forming the next government, there was a possibility that Mr Munya would be named Mr Odinga’s running mate.
“Raila is offering the second position to our son Munya. We have not heard anything like that in Kenya Kwanza. We will fight hard to ensure Munya gets the position because Meru has never occupied the presidency,” he said.
He expressed confidence that Mr Munya would back him as they jointly campaign for the Azimio presidential candidate.
Meru County Assembly minority leader Ayub Bundi, who has been a stern critic of Murungi’s administration, said they were ready to support the governor.
“We will have to agree on how to work together and form the government. If we support the governor, we must have a say in what should be corrected because we have been pointing out the errors of this government,” Mr Bundi said.
Mr Jacob Mantili, a member of PNU, said: “While our leader (CS Munya) has not told us to support the governor, he is clear that he will support candidates within the Azimio coalition. Since governor Murungi is in Azimio, we have no option.”
Senator Linturi comes into the fray in the wake of a clamour for rotational politics for the top county seat to cater for the three sub-groups of Meru.
Those pushing for Linturi to become governor argue that since leaders from Tigania (Peter Munya) and Imenti (Kiraitu Murungi) have occupied the governor seat, 2022 is time for a leader from Igembe (Mithika Linturi).
It all started last year when Igembe Central MP Kubai Iringo suggested that the next governor should come from Igembe.
Speaking when he declared his gubernatorial bid, Mr Linturi said while he was banking on his backyard to win, he was keen on rallying support from the entire county.
“While you have been saying that it is time for Igembe to take the governorship, no one can be governor without support from all corners of the county. We are at an advantage because more than 70 per cent of voters are supporters of Dr William Ruto,” Mr Linturi said.
Earlier, Mr Linturi said while the Igembe have the second-largest number of votes in Meru county, there is a need for a proper strategy before pushing for one of their own to be governor.
"The Igembe people have their concerns and they should be respected because there are more than 247,000 votes. However, we cannot go to the ballot just because people are saying so," he said.
The senator is working alongside South Imenti MP Kathuri Murungi, who will vie for the Senate seat on a UDA ticket.
But Mr Murungi termed the suggestion ‘very bad politics’ that may divide the county. But Igembe Central politician James Mithika dismissed Mr Linturi’s entry into the gubernatorial contest as of no consequence to the incumbent.
“Senator Linturi’s entry into the race has no effect. If he held sway in the Igembe subgroup, he could have caused a scare in the Kiraitu camp,” Mr Mithika said.
In the meantime, Governor Murungi has expressed confidence that he will trounce his opponents and maintain his winning streak.
“I do not go into politics with emotions. This is why I have never lost an election,” he said.
