Murang'a MCAs and deputy governor locked out of Governor Wa Iria 's meeting

Murang'a Governor Mwangi wa Iria in a talk with Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau during the burial of the late nominated MCA Peter Kariuki Njogu in Ichagaki ward in August 2016. PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD

NAIVASHA: There was drama in a Naivasha hotel after a group of MCAs from Murang'a County were blocked from accessing a meeting chaired by their Governor Mwangi Wa Iria.

The nine MCAs and the deputy governor Gakure Monyo were barred from entering the venue of meeting in Sawela Lodge as the woes in the county deepened.

At the center of the dispute was the move by the MCAs to attend the home coming party of Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau last weekend.

Kamau has already announced his intentions to view for the governorship of Murang'a County and has on several times clashed with Wa Iria.

The differences were carried all the way to Naivasha, over 300kms away, where the governor was meeting the MCAs to address the issue of budget implementation.

The deputy governor and his entourage were left seething in anger after armed police officers stopped them from entering the venue of the meeting.

"We have strict orders from the Governor that we should not allow you in to this meeting as you have not been invited," one of the officers told the group.

Emotions ran high during the incident as the Governor and his team continued with their meeting where the press was also barred.

Kinyona ward MCA Charles Kirigwi, claimed that the main reason for being locked out was for attending the Kigumo MP party.

Kirigwi lashed out at the Governor terming him as a dictator who wanted to micro-manage the affairs of all his officers including MCAs.

"All the MCAs and deputy governor who have been locked out are those who attended Jamleck’s home coming party last weekend and we have no apology to make," he said.

He added that the governor feared competition adding that the MCAs were free to support any person they wanted in the coming general elections.

Flanked by his colleagues, the MCA expressed his concern that the wards left out in the meeting could be discriminated when it came to allocation of funds.

"This is taxpayers money which is been discussed without the voters representation and it's sad that at this time and age one person wants to control everything," he said.

Last week, MP Jamleck Kamau launched his bid for the post of Murang'a governor in a meeting attended by various leaders and hundreds of area residents.