I am not meddling in Embu affairs - Senator Kiraitu Murungi

 

Senator Kiraitu Murungi (centre) with Mzee Joseph Ntogai (right), Woman Rep Florence Kajuju (left) and other leaders from the county at a past event. [ PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

Senator Kiraitu Murungi has denied accusations by Embu Governor Martin Wambora that he was meddling in the political affairs of the latter's county.

Mr Murungi refuted claims by Mr Wambora that he was campaigning for other people to win the Embu gubernatorial position.

The senator told Wambora to stop panicking as he (Kiraitu) had no capacity to do that.

Kiraitu said a comment he had made regarding the political turbulence and "cat-fights" in Embu County, in his capacity as the patron of the Central Kenya Parliamentary Caucus, had generated unnecessary political heat.

Because the statement, Wambora and his political allies have accused the Meru senator of meddling in Embu's political activities.

Kiraitu says he was misquoted as throwing his support behind Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire for the Embu Governor's position.

But in an interview with The Standard, Kiraitu said as the political leader of the Central Kenya caucus, he only expressed concerns after allegations were made that members of the Embu community were ganging up to lock out their Mbeere counterparts in the county's leadership in the next elections.

DEFEND SEAT

"I only said the political schemes being hatched by the numerically strong Embus against the Mbeeres were dangerous and called on them to embrace the politics of power-sharing. I called on them to end the endless political cat-fights that are slowing the development agenda," said Kiraitu.

The senator said he opposed sentiments that the Embus were planning to take the governor, senator, woman representative and the county assembly clerk positions as the situation would see their Mbeere colleagues left in the cold in the county leadership.

"There is no need for Wambora to complain or panic. I do not have the capacity to decide who becomes the Embu governor. For us as leaders in the region, all we want is to have good neighbours who are stable politically as this is the only way we can ensure development of the region," he said.

The senator also dismissed talk that he was angling for the Meru governor's position, maintaining that he intended to defend his Senate seat in the next elections.

"I have received many delegations asking me to consider running for the governor's position, as they see the Senate as not being lucrative. But I want them to understand that I was among the key campaigners of the passing of the Constitution. And even as I contested the Senate seat I knew there was the position of governor," he said.