Section of Meru leaders dismiss unity meeting as ‘gathering of tourists’

Efforts to unite the Mt Kenya region ahead of next year’s General Election have faced headwinds after leaders from Meru vowed to fight those spearheading the initiative.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya is hosting governors from Central Kenya today at the Kenya Methodist University (Kemu) in Meru in a unity bid said to have the blessings of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

It brings together Governors Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru), Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri), James Nyoro (Kiambu), Martin Wambora (Embu) Mwangi Wairia (Murang’a) and former governor William Kabogo.

Kieni MP Kanini Kega who is coordinating the meeting on the side of MPs said Mr Kenyatta is aware of the unity bid.

However, a section of Meru leaders dismissed the unity meeting as ‘a gathering of tourists’ that cannot leave a mark on the political landscape of the region.

Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, Meru deputy governor Titus Ntuchiu, Tigania West MP John Mutunga, Majority leader Victor Karithi among other leaders said it was disrespectful for Central Kenya governors to hold a meeting in Meru without involving local elected leaders.

They dismissed Mr Peter Munya as a lone ranger who would hold no sway in the 2022 politics.

Speaking during Athwana Education Day at Karumo Technical Training Institute on Friday, the leaders said nothing would stop the Mt Kenya East region from charting its own political destiny.

“I have heard that some tourists are coming to Meru. They are welcome to enjoy our attractions, beautiful sceneries and spend a night in our hotels. You cannot dictate to us our future political direction. We cannot have a unity meeting without the governor, Senator, MPs or MCAs,” Mr Linturi said.

Mr Linturi said today’s meeting has been organised by a “clique of leaders whose motive is to prove to Uhuru that they can counter United Democratic Alliance (UDA) influence and block DP Ruto from inheriting the Mt Kenya vote.”

He said Mr Munya was being used by leaders from Mt Kenya west opposed to Mr Muturi’s coronation to cause disunity in the region.

“Those planning the meeting are from the Kieleweke faction and their main aim is to demonstrate to the President that they are still relevant even after losing two crucial by-elections including one in the President’s backyard,” Mr Linturi said on Wednesday in a phone interview.

He added: “These efforts are bound to fail because the wind of change has blown towards UDA. Some of those behind the meeting are also losers who do not have the influence of wananchi. If Uhuru has failed to unite leaders, do you think unelected leaders will succeed?”

Mr Ntuchiu said Mr Munya’s political career cannot be salvaged by the Central Kenya politicians.

“The unity meeting is not on our agenda. We are putting our house in order as Mt Kenya east region leaders and will work with other national leaders who will put our interest first,” Mr Ntuchiu said.

Meru county assembly majority leader Victor Karithi said most MCAs have not been approached over the meeting with local leaders saying Mr Munya’s “lone ranger” approach to politics and open criticism of Mr Muturi’s coronation might work against his efforts to unite the region.

Abogeta East MCA Patrick Karinga said they would not allow the meeting to be used to demean Mt Kenya east leaders.

Meru Chief of Staff Gideon Kimathi said governor Murungi would not attend the meeting as he was keen on uniting the Mt Kenya east vote.

“You cannot purport to invite the governor as a guest to a meeting in his county, he should be the host. The meeting is a sham because no Meru leader has been involved. Nothing will stop us from forming a regional party,” Mr Kimathi said.

The Mt Kenya unity meeting comes a month after a similar one in Nyeri, where the leaders vowed to ensure the region’s vote remains in one basket as well as field a presidential candidate in 2022.

Mr Munya, has dismissed the coronation of National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi as the regional spokesman and warned of ‘forces orchestrating to split the region’s numbers.’

But leaders from Meru have cast aspersions on tomorrow’s meeting, saying it does not have blessings from local politicians.

The coronation of Mr Muturi in March sparked a succession supremacy contest between Mt Kenya East and West, with leaders in the west claiming that they were not involved, splitting the eight million rich vote block into east/west camps.

National Council of Elders Patron Kung’u Muigai who is President Kenyatta’s cousin, has since indicated that Mr Muturi’s coronation had the President’s blessings.

Although Mr Muigai said he was not opposed to the unity bid despite elders not being involved in planning the meeting, he challenged the leaders to come up with one person who they thought was fit to take over from Mr Kenyatta.

He said the challenge was that all the governors who will attend the meeting have their own ambitions with Mr Wa Iria declaring that he would vie for the Presidency while Mr Munya had declared that President Kenyatta had identified him as the regional leader.

“We as elders decided that Muturi is the most qualified to lead the region and if they think otherwise then I challenge them to name one individual if they are really interested in unity,” said Mr Muigai, who is the President’s cousin.

With Mr Kenyatta guarded about his preferred successor, leaders in the region have gone out on supremacy contests jostling for attention in an attempt to seek the President’s blessings.