Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri is positioning himself to play a key role in the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022.
On Friday, Mr Kiunjuri declared that he was the suitable candidate for the deputy president’s post.
“2022 elections will be here soon and we need to be prepared. Some have tried to soil my name before the President but my work speaks for itself,” said the CS.
A month ago, the former Laikipia East MP announced that Mt Kenya’s pledge to support Deputy President William Ruto’s 2022 bid was still intact.
Speaking in Laikipia and Nyeri counties where he distributed avocado seedlings to farmers, Kiunjuri said he would not vie for Laikipia governorship in the next elections.
In the run-up to 2017 elections, the CS ditched his bid for governorship following the request of President Kenyatta.
The CS was accompanied by Nyeri Woman Representative Rahab Mukami, Laikipia Senator John Kinua, Speaker Patrick Waigwa and Laikipia and Nyeri counties MCAs.
“We are telling Dr Ruto that if we (Jubilee Party) are giving him the presidential candidacy, the DP’s position should be reserved for CS Kiunjuri,” said MP Mukami.
The Woman Rep termed the corruption allegations against the CS as ‘political noise’ meant to frustrate his political ambitions.
Speaker Waigwa called on Mt Kenya leaders to put their house in order to have a better bargaining platform ahead of 2022.
“We need to strategise and put personal interests aside. We are sending our son Kiunjuri to organise Mt Kenya so that we will read from one script when others will be seeking for our support. The only thing that can help us push for our agenda is putting votes in one bucket to push our agenda in government,” said Waigwa.
The Woman Rep added:” We (Mount Kenya) are the ones marrying off the bride and we shouldn’t be camping in our in-laws doorsteps singing of our ‘girl’s’ commitment to their son yet we have not seen the dowry.”
Waigwa’s sentiments are testament to the support the DP is enjoying in Mt Kenya region.
Laikipia Senator Kinyua said the CS is better placed to be Mt Kenya’s point man owing to his political experience.
