By MUNENE KAMAU
KENYA: A popular saying in Mt Kenya goes that an elder is able to see many miles ahead while seated on a traditional stool than a young boy standing on top a tall tree.
On New Year eve at Kinoru stadium in Meru County, Senator Kiraitu Murungi appeared to have stemmed discontent among some local leaders who were opposed to the appointment of Francis Muthaura as the chairman of the Lamu Port Southern Sudan and Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) Corridor Development Authority.
Igembe Central and South legislators Kubai Iringo and Mithika Linturi had earlier on claimed the Jubilee government had sidelined parts of Meru by failing to appoint someone from the area in key government parastatals.
A fuming Iringo had said: “Does it mean only women from a particular village in Imenti South can sire products that can be appointed in the plum public appointments?”
His sentiments were echoed by Linturi who said despite his vigorous campaigns for the TNA while the rest of the Meru leadership was in the APK (bus party), his lieutenants were left out when President Uhuru Kenyatta started rewarding his supporters.
“It is a well known fact that I had a big army that supported TNA and its top leadership during the 2013 General Election, but we have been left out when Uhuru started to reward those who supported his party while those who were in opposing parties are the ones now being rewarded,” Mithika charged.
Changed tone
But during the end of the year celebrations on Tuesday, Kiraitu spilled the beans when he disclosed that there are already two Ambassadors from the larger Igembe contrary to the erroneous belief that the region had been sidelined by the Jubilee government.
“For record purposes, it should be known for sure that Kirimi Kaberia, who hails from Linturi’s backyard is the Kenyan Ambassador to Brazil while Isaiah Kabira from Igembe South also from the back yard of Joseph Eruaki the area MP is an Ambassador for Australia,” said Kiraitu, “am challenging those not convinced to prove me wrong.”
A highly charged crowd went silent as Kiraitu tore into area leaders who had been vocal in criticising the president’s appointments.
On realising he had been hit below the belt Linturi immediately changed the tone and said he was not opposed to Muthaura’s appointment but wanted other State appointments to be distributed equitably within the vast County.
Others who had raised their objections into Muthaura’s appointment included the Tharaka/Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki who claimed there have never been any appointments from his region.
But he was reminded that the immediate former chairman of the National Cohesion and Integration commission Mzalendo Kivunjia was actually from Tunyai area of Tharaka.
Those in support of Muthaura were the Meru Council of Elders commonly known as Nchuri Ncheke led by their regional secretary general Pharis Ruteere.
At a hasty convened press conference in Meru town last Saturday where the elders wondered why sections of Meru elected leaders were castigating the appointment of one of their own instead of appreciating the good gesture.
Public disclosure
During the Tuesday meeting speaker after speaker made a sudden about turn and distanced themselves from the opponents of the appointment.
Others present at the stadium were led by the Governor Peter Munya, legislators Boniface Gatobu (Buuri) Florence Kajuju the County Women Representative, David Kariithi (Tigania West), Mpuru Aburi (Tigania East , Gideon Mwiti of Imenti Central.
Others were Joseph Eruaki, of Igembe North while Rahim Dawood of Imenti North and Kathuri Murungi of Imenti South were absent with apologies.
Pundits say with the public disclosure made by Kiraitu over the state of affairs, no leader from the region will ever make any such allegations of being sidelined without having done their research properly.
Privileged status
But though it would appear Linturi and Iringo were cornered into submission in this meeting, pundits point out that a deep resentment against the privileged status of the Imenti sub tribe continues to pervade in Meru.
Historically, the Imentis are seen as having massively benefited from early Christian missionary footprints in their area that saw the construction of the best schools around Meru town, Kabaa, Chogoria and Igoji.
But other Meru sub tribes such as the Tharakas, Chukas, Igembes, Muthambi and Tigania feel as if the Imentis have been unfairly rewarded by successive regimes especially Mzee Kenyatta’s and Mwai Kibaki’s governments.
Kibaki is particularly accused of favouring this sub region with Cabinet appointments of Murungi and Mr Daudi Mwiraria as well as Muthaura and former Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere.
Some Imenti leaders however point out that President Kenyatta’s government has already shown some objectivity by opting for Kindiki as Leader of Majority in Senate instead of the Kiraitu.
