Waiguru clashes with PS Kibicho over Sh15bn Kemri project
President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) chats with Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho (left) and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru upon his arrival at Mwea Airstrip for a project inspection tour, February 1, 2020. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru on Saturday accused the PS of meddling and told him to resign from the post and join politics.
Via Facebook on Saturday, Ms Waiguru wondered why Dr Kibicho was interested in the project.
Her remarks came hours after Deputy Governor Peter Ndambiri accused the PS of touring the Kemri project and others in the region without consulting the county.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has asked Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho to keep off the controversial Sh15 billion Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) project in the county.
Ms Waiguru on Saturday accused the PS of meddling and told him to resign from the post and join politics.
She issued the remarks following Dr Kibicho's tour of the project on Friday, which reportedly took place without the involvement of her office.
During the visit the PS appeared to blame Kirinyaga for delays in the construction.
WAIGURU'S QUESTIONS
Via Facebook on Saturday, Ms Waiguru wondered why Dr Kibicho was interested in the project.
She explained that President Uhuru Kenyatta required a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between the County and Kemri so that residents; interests are considered.
"Is PS Kibicho now superior to the President? If he wants to engage in village politics and insults, he should resign and join others in early campaigning."
Ms Waiguru asked the PS to concentrate on the difficult task of ensuring internal security in turbulent parts of the country.
"The county signed the MoU and forwarded it to Kemri for execution. We remain committed to looking out for the interests of Kirinyaga people. I'm sure 30 per cent of manual and non-technical jobs for residents is not too much to ask. It has been done elsewhere, why not Kirinyaga?"
DISRESPECT
Ms Waiguru's remarks came hours after Deputy Governor Peter Ndambiri accused the PS of touring the Kemri project and others in the region without consulting the county.
Mr Ndambiri said that by so doing, Dr Kibicho disrespected Governor Waiguru.
He noted that the governor lobbied for most of the project so her office should not have been sidelined.
"The PS sidestepped Governor Waiguru's office. This is unacceptable," he said.
Mr Ndambiri said Kirinyaga will not allow any national government official to undermine the governor.
He said Dr Kibicho and his five colleagues should have visited her office and signed the guest book, in a show of courtesy, before inspecting the projects.
The deputy governor also protested being barred from the closed-door meeting that Dr Kibicho convened at the National Irrigation Board guest house in Wang'uru.
