Opposition leaders in Meru are embroiled in a sibling rivalry and supremacy battle, threatening to scuttle planned political rallies in the region.
Party of National Unity (PNU) leader Peter Munya and former Meru Senator Mithika Linturi have intensified their rivalry ahead of the five-day united opposition rallies in Meru and Isiolo counties, spearheaded by PNU.
The rallies, which kick off on Thursday, were postponed last month due to fuel price protests that rocked the country.
Mr Munya announced that opposition leaders Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiang'i, Martha Karua and Eugene Wamalwa would be joining him at rallies designed to raise the profile of the opposition in the region.
However, Mr Linturi, who is the organising secretary for the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), has accused Mr Munya of using his party leader’s images on posters to woo crowds.
He distanced himself from the meetings, saying despite being the key DCP events organiser, he was not aware of the rallies being promoted by PNU.
“As the DCP National Organising Secretary, I have been alerted about the poster circulating ostensibly to pull a crowd for a certain political group with little fortunes. We are not aware of the said rallies and our diary is fully booked for other matters,” Mr Linturi stated on his official Facebook page.
“Please ignore it completely. PNU is free to carry out their political activities without conning the people of Meru into optics lost into oblivion.”
Speaking to the Nation on Wednesday, Mr Linturi maintained that his party had resolved to keep off meetings organised by PNU – since Mr Munya does not participate in theirs.
“As far as I am concerned, Munya and I are competitors. We only agree on the ‘one-term’ rallying call. Meru is a DCP zone and we will not allow him to use our party to build his profile. We will protect our turf against any incursions,” Mr Linturi said.
The former Agriculture minister has maintained that he is keen on sending Mr Munya into political oblivion as they are both eying the Meru governorship.
“Munya is a lone ranger who is not keen on working with other leaders. This is why he is not fit to be Meru governor,” he said.
Last month, Mr Linturi had also poured cold water on the rallies urging DCP supporters to keep off, before they were postponed due to fuel price protests.
However, Mr Munya dismissed Mr Linturi’s statements, arguing that opposition parties’ principals planned the rallies.
“As the PNU Party leader, I am a member of the United Opposition Principals Committee and we discuss issues at that level. I am the host of other opposition principals and I am the only one who can comment about plans for the meetings. Those others purporting to speak should wait to be briefed by their party leaders,” Mr Munya said.
Their political rivalry has intensified in the recent past with the two leaders clashing during a recent funeral in Tigania West.
The DCP-PNU rivalry has also escalated after North Imenti parliamentary seat aspirant Carol Karimi ditched the Gachagua-led party for Mr Munya’s PNU as her 2027 political vehicle.
