Winners and losers of President Uhuru’s visit in Mt Kenya region

President Uhuru Kenyatta, Meru Governor Peter Munya and other leaders when they visited the 10km Kianjai-Miathene road, in February last year. [PHOTOS: FILE/STANDARD]

The three counties that make Mt Kenya East are keenly watching this weekend’s presidential visit starting today in Meru and moving on to Embu tomorrow.

A region where Jubilee leaders are deeply divided over political competition for power will be watching every step the president makes, with the interpretation likely to be whether he will leave any of the divided camps in a better position.

There has been murmurs of discontent in Tharaka Nithi, which the president will skip from visiting. Leadership row in the Jubilee Party (JP) has left loopholes for exploitation by CORD, which has in the last two months reached out with a high profile visit by Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi.

On Thursday, Chuka/Igambangombe MP Muthomi Njuki and Mukothima MCA Mwenda Gataya protested the decision to skip the county during the presidential visit. “Tharaka Nithi is only praised as a stronghold during elections but shunned when dishing out development,” said Njuki.

Extremely critical

But Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki said the president is expected to visit Tharaka Nithi in the next few weeks, dismissing CORD’s overtures.

“It is extremely critical for the president to visit since he was last here in 2013 when he launched roads in Chuka town yet we know wananchi in this stronghold feel some warmth when he comes,” said Mbiuki. Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi was upbeat about the Meru visit that will see the president tour Kariene market and areas surrounding Meru town before a JP launch at Kaaga Primary School grounds.

But rival MPs Kathuri Murungi (South Imenti) and Tigania West’s David Kariithi urged Uhuru to use the visit to compel the Jubilee headquarters to sort out a bitter disagreement over the Meru interim branch office.

The two MPs have been some of the vocal Meru Jubilee leaders who have raised reservations about the composition of the interim branch office, saying it is dominated by allies of a political formation called Kikali, which is an acronym for Senator Kiraitu Murungi, Woman Rep Florence Kajuju and Linturi.

“One of the key issues which we expect the party leader to address include the need to listen to dissenting views on the composition of Meru County JP officials,” said Murungi.

There exists widespread fears after aspirants were asked to contribute for the JP launch. Aspirants for MCA position contributed Sh20,000 while those vying for MP’s post were asked to send Sh100,000.

But Linturi said contributions were purely voluntary and contributions should be appreciated by well-wishers. “One wonders how some people are making conditions about a visit whose invitations they have no clue about,” said Linturi.

The South Imenti MP said correcting the injustice in the JP branch should be key agenda during the president’s visit. “While Meru County had two strong parties that dissolved to form JP, the Alliance Party of Kenya (APK) and The National Alliance (TNA), the interim leadership is skewed towards APK after behind the scene schemes to get the powerful chairman and secretary positions,” said Murungi.

Kariithi said the protest letter to Uhuru by disgruntled JP aspirants led by presidential adviser on Education Dr Kilemi Mwiria two weeks ago is an issue that should not be left to pass. But Linturi mocked Dr Mwiria, saying as a presidential advisor, he had leeway to directly and confidentially appeal to Uhuru.

“This group must decide whether they are in Jubilee or they are with Peter Munya (Meru Governor). Their actions convince us they are PNU moles,” said Linturi.

Munya taunted the Kikali formation, saying it was demonstration of how low their political prowess had sank. “If they must require the president’s reinforcement for a simple launch, then where are they taking the party?” he posed.

Munya claimed the president will be walking a tightrope because he might not desire to be seen giving any side of the political divide his blessings at a time when people like Linturi have publicly asked him to disown Munya’s PNU, which is supporting his presidential bid.

In Embu, Uhuru faces similar predicament, where a fallout over control of the JP branch and consequently fears over fairness of the impeding party primaries may occur.

The JP gubernatorial race here has narrowed down to Senator Lenny Kivuti, incumbent Nyaga Wambora and the longest serving MP in Mt Kenya region Cecily Mbarire (Runyenjes).

After an eruption of temperatures during the JP elections that ended up with Wambora teaming up with Mbarire and two lists of officials sent to party headquarters, the race has gone back to grassroots but has seen the exit from the party of wealthy 2013 gubernatorial runners-up Kithinji Kiragu and former Permanent Secretary Cyrus Njiru.