Meru leaders volunteer to offer Ruto a running mate in 2022 general elections

Meru County leaders will support Senator Kiraitu Murungi's Alliance Party of Kenya and will consult before joining any other party, a section of leaders have announced.

Led by Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi and Woman representative Florence Kajuju, the leaders said they will stay united in APK even as they seek collaboration with the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP).

Meru County Assembly Majority Leader Ayub Bundi was categorical that APK will not fold and join JAP.

"As Meru political leaders, we have said we are not going to join JAP. We need to retain our identity and make it even stronger, so that we can use our unity to bargain for resources and other opportunities for Ameru," said Mr. Bundi, also the Abothuguchi Central MCA.

The leaders, speaking at Murembu Secondary School where Mwiti Mucheke , the chairman of the school's board of management had hosted them, reiterated that political leaders in Meru will unite to build a formidable team for the 2017 elections.

"We are going to support President Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto in 2017. We are also going to ensure we re-elect Governor Peter Munya," said Julius Kimathi, the County Secretary and head of Public Service.

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"We do not want any divisions among leaders. We want to go to the 2017 elections under one party, APK. We are going to support President Uhuru and DP William Ruto in 2017. In 2022 Ruto has said he will go for the Presidency, and we would also like him to consider one of us as his running mate. Mithika Linturi can be that person," said Gideon Kimathi, Deputy Speaker.

He said Meru with over 400,000 votes, should produce Ruto's running mate.

Mr. Linturi said Senator Kiraitu was the captain of political leaders in Meru and they are working to ensure unity prevails in readiness for 2022.

"In 2017 we will support Uhuru. After 2017 Meru will chart the way forward. Right now we are studying the terrain and we will sit down and take a common stand. We will use our unity as a bargaining tool," Linturi said.

MCAs Alphaxard Chabari, Alhaji Mwendia, Secondina Kanini and John Kireria urged all Meru leaders to unite to ensure they are a strong team for 2017 and 2022 elections.