Kiambu County elected leaders have severally been accused of defying President Uhuru Kenyatta by early politicking and sources claim that they are now under watch.
Majority of these leaders are who allied to William Ruto popularly referred to as Tanga Tanga may face a number of consequences for defying President Uhuru’s call to stop early politics, in what the rest of the region sees as disrespect and an external-funded strategy to divert the region’s attention from development matters.
Leaders say they read malice in the defiance against the president, who doubles as the current political supremo for the region, undermining his reputation nationally. They say the dissidents are being used in a plot to weaken Uhuru’s home-base political influence ahead of 2022 elections.
Questions are also emerging about the amount of funding given to the dissidents, the source of the money, and preferential deals they may have benefitted from their sponsors; the political camp associated with Deputy President William Ruto.
And now, leaders have agreed to confront the dissidents head-on, starting with the disruption of a prayer meeting that was to be held in Kenol Town, Muranga County, with Ruto as the guest of honour and what the organisers said was an expected guest list of 100 members of parliament.
Pro-Uhuru leaders have said the meeting will never be held despite officials saying it will in two weeks’ time.Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia who chairs the Central Kenya Economic Block (CEKEB), a group of senior politicians led by nominated MP Maina Kamanda and senior civil servants are among those who have come out strongly to warn those defying the president.
Governor Kiraitu, a key influencer in Mt. Kenya East vote-bloc of Embu, Meru and Tharaka Nithi has condemned the mostly elected leaders led by Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and relatively youthful MPs from Kiambu and Murang’a for directly opposing the president.
According to Kiraitu, by them defying the president directly, they are undermining the strength of the region’s political power.“I want to send a message to Kiambu leaders, please do not bring us shame,” said the Meru Governor when he addressed religious leaders who had paid a courtesy call to him.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta is our leader. In Mt. Kenya region, we do not have any other leader. We respect him the same way Raila Odinga is respected in Nyanza,” said Kiraitu.“What Uhuru says, we do. We have agreed that we should go slow on politics. We should first deliver the promises we made to our people.