Kiunjuri, Muriithi engage Uhuru in popularity contest in Laikipia

By James Munyeki

Laikipia, Kenya: The election of Laikipia County governor will test the popularity of candidates who are considered the point men of their respective parties in the region.

Grand National Union (GNU) party leader Mwangi Kiunjuri is battling for the post after defying pressure to join The National Alliance (TNA) of Jubilee alliance’s presidential candidate and Deputy Premier Uhuru Kenyatta.

Although Kiunjuri says he supports Uhuru’s presidential candidature, he has resisted his efforts to rally aspirants for various elective seats in the region to contest under his TNA party.

This means the Public Works assistant minister will face off with whoever secures the TNA nomination ticket in a contest that many see as the ultimate showdown between Kiunjuri and Uhuru.

Jubilee fall out

Also in the race for governor on a United Democratic Forum (UDF) party ticket is Laikipia West MP Ndiritu Muriithi, who has been Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi’s point man in central Kenya.

Ndiritu, Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni and Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohammed have been some of the closest allies of Mudavadi, who was endorsed as UDF presidential candidate on January 4.

The Sabatia MP fell out with Uhuru and Eldoret North’s William Ruto after Uhuru (also MP for Gatundu South) reneged on an agreement to step down for Mudavadi as the Jubilee alliance flag bearer.

Ndiritu, who is also the Industrialisation assistant minister, is among the founder members of UDF and has, too, defied the TNA wave and urged the electorate to make an independent choice without being influenced by euphoria.

The battle for the county’s leadership has therefore shaped up as a contest involving GNU, UDF and TNA.

Spoiler tag

Those seeking the TNA ticket are accountant Mburu Kamau, economist Jesee Kihiko and Joshua Irungu, who has worked in private sector with NGOs.

“Party affiliation will be a major determinant even though residents are confused on which party to support. The entry of GNU has spoilt a golden chance for a landslide win for TNA,” argues political analyst Martin Waichungo.

He says it is not certain whomever wins in the TNA nominations will win the seat in the March 4 General Election.

Kiunjuri says he will sell his party’s policies to win the governor’s seat and he shouldn’t be branded a spoiler as GNU supported Uhuru’s presidential bid.

Rights for the poor

“It should be made clear we are supporting Uhuru for president. Our party is only a vehicle to demand the national cake,” he argues. “I am not here to spoil the party for anyone. My party policies are set to benefit the poor who are the majority in the area. I formed the party to fight for the rights of the oppressed in Laikipia.”

Ndiritu is pegging his campaign on the management of the CDF kitty that has seen delegations troop to learn from the region and his efforts to unite the warring communities through Laikipia Peace Forum initiative. He says the electorate should be left to decide the best candidate, explaining he is seeking to “create an educated, secure and prosperous county”.

He promises to increase the number of secondary schools citing the construction of 21 new schools in Laikipia West “which we hope to extend to other areas in the county”.

“We will ensure every child going to secondary school accesses higher education. I will push for upgrade of Laikipia University College to a fully fledge university,” says Muriithi.

If elected, he pledges to create two special funds each allocated Sh150 million per year: Investment Fund to support small businesses and Innovation Fund available for scholars, businessmen and farmers.

“I promise the people of Laikipia my government will focus on development and leadership as opposed to political rhetoric,” he says.

The scramble for resources among the various communities will be another major factor that will determine who becomes the first governor for Laikipia. In the past, pastoral communities and farmers have clashed over land, which has seen deaths of hundreds of people.

The fact that all the candidates are from the majority farming Kikuyu community, signals the ethnic factor to the contest. Other tribes considered in the minority include Samburu, Turkana, Kalenjin, Pokot and Somali mainly based in Nyahururu town.

Kamau, the latest entrant in the race is seeking a TNA ticket. He, however, dismisses voting would be along community lines or party affiliations.

He says all tribes must realise Laikipia is their county and elect a leader who will unite them all.

“It is my call to even the minority communities not to see themselves as neglected lot. We must all embrace unity and work as a team for the sake of development,” Kamau says.

Despite the fact Laikipia is endowed with other major resources like wildlife and ranches, human-wildlife conflict is still a thorn in the fresh.

Kiunjuri has been involved in court battles with the ranchers over claims they don’t fence their lands. The long battle between him and a conservationist, Kukki Gullmann, who owns Laikipia Nature and Conservancy, is a case in point.

Residents want the aspirants to demonstrate their commitment to end the human-wildlife conflict once they ascend to power.

Living standards

Other factors that may determine the voting system include security and land issues.

“To curb insecurity, we will continue with the Laikipia Peace Caravan initiative that has helped forge cohesion in the region,” Ndiritu says.

Irungu is relying on various groups that he has helped in the area during his stint in the private sector.

Among them are women groups, which he has helped buy water tanks and youth groups that have started various development projects.

Mburu has emphasised on making the region a tourist and economic harbour.

With the rich connections with tourists, himself owning several lodges and a tourist company, he says the issue of wildlife being a menace to the residents will be a thing of the past.

“We have to make use of these elephants and lions to uplift our lives. These will enable us develop economically,” Mburu says.