Governor Waiguru reveals plan for Mt. Kenya

Baringo Senator Gideon Moi and Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru shake hands when they met at a private function in Nairobi. [Harun Wathari/Standard]

Hosting of the Devolution Conference 2019 in Kirinyaga County has conferred yet another cap to the political career of Governor Anne Waiguru, strengthening her grand plans of playing a bigger role in the politics of Mt. Kenya region.

The event that is running from March 4^th  to 8^th Friday is the second to be held in Mt. Kenya region, Meru having got the honours of hosting the first one when the then governor, now Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya was the chairman of the Council of Governors (CoG).

The Kirinyaga governor has shown a marked interest in the leadership of the council, being the immediate former deputy chair of the CoG and who shelved her ambitions for the chairmanship of the powerful council, in what insiders said is part of building future alliances with politicians like the current chair, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.

The position was timely for Oparanya who has expressed intentions to run for the presidency in 2022 and has formed a think tank for early planning. His bid enjoys moral backing of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his handshake partner Raila Odinga.

For Waiguru, although being fought at home by Kirinyaga Women Representative Wangui Ngirichi, she has not only built a national profile but also commands influence and respect among her peers.

This is partly the reason why her proposal to have the Devolution Conference 2019 held in Kirinyaga was easily endorsed by her colleagues, despite the county being disadvantaged by inadequate hospitality infrastructure compared to neighbours Nyeri and Embu.

Waiguru’s ranking as the second best performing govenor in Kenya, and top in Mt. Kenya region will not only help deepen her positive reputation and endear her more to the larger regional constituency.

According to a study done by Consortium of Researchers on Governance released on Friday, Kakamega Governor Wycliff Oparanya was ranked top performer with 87 percent approval, followed by Waiguru at 84 percent and Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana at 83 percent.

Waiguru is the undoubtful top woman political influencer in Kenya, and her close friendship with President Kenyatta has helped expand this influence.

Her political star is expected to shine brighter now that one her fiercest critics, Raila Odinga, has reconciled with President Kenyatta while the Deputy President William Ruto, whose associates are alleged to have financed the media war against Waiguru over NYS scandal with a Sh100 million, is facing a political storm that could derail is chance for presidency in 2022. 

Waiguru is emerging as one of the top candidates to take one of the expanded positions in the executive, courtesy of the forthcoming referendum, but she faces serious competition from peers likes Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria and CS Peter Munya who are also eying opportunities to become kingpins of Mt. Kenya region.

In private, Waiguru speaks of how circumstances threw her into the deep sea of politics, sometimes almost having given up on future participation in elective positions. But it appears her political coat is hardening as seen by her growing boldness in wading into heavier matters of national interest.

She says that driving force includes her desire to provide leadership to make transformative changes like what she achieved with the invention of Hunduma Centres when she served as the CS in the ministry of devolution.

Innovations under Mountain Cities Vision 2032

In an interview at her home in Kang’aru area near Kagio town, she spoke of some of those achievements that she is in the process of clinching in Kirinyaga.

“We have doubled production of rice because we have dealt with the problem of sharing of water. We have secured coffee market in the U.S and we have partners from Italy who have come to buy and set up a coffee grading laboratory here,” said Waiguru.

“We want to achieve production of one million eggs every month by the end of this year and three million eggs a month in two years so that we can cover the national shortage and avoid imports. We have aninvestor coming to set up tomato processing, and another to set up a factory that will use rice husks to manufacture of furniture and building material,” she said.

These are among what falls under her pet project, the Mountain Cities Vision 2032. Among the key projects under this strategy is the development of former railway town of Sagana as an industrial city, anchored by the Sagana Industrial Park.

The industrial park is expected for the first time to trickle down manufacturing to the grassroots by enabling processing and packaging of agriculture produce from Kirinyaga and other Mt.Kenya counties.

Although tea processing factories dot several of the region’s counties, farmers do not control the marketing of the product which is done by Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) that plays the larger role of tea sector management agency on the behalf of the farmers.

Mt. Kenya outlook

When she started the coffee debate, her focus too was not just Kirinyaga but entire Mt. Kenya region where coffee reigned as a top cash crop for many years and is slowly making a comeback.

“As the daughter of a small scale coffee farmer, I know the coffee farmer's pain. We must ensure that farmers get the best price, whether raw or processed,” Waiguru said earlier. She brought soberness into the debate when she said the core need is not just processing coffee, but finding a better sustainable market.

It made sense because many are the coffee societies who have been cheated by millers to process and package coffee, only for its to stay for long without being sold eventually losing its aroma qualities. Such coffee ends up being written off.

“It doesn’t matter what we do with our coffee if we have no market for it. Engaging with the markets is the sole determinant of the factors that affect the quantity, quality and condition of the supply. If we don’t secure markets, then we may just end up feeding the processed coffee to cows,” said Waiguru.

Currently, her administration is expected to start supporting farmers to increase yield per stem and replace stems in a bid to make the volumes adequate for direct export in the next two years. The target, says the senior department of agriculture officials, to ensure a farmer is paid Sh300 per kilo compared to the current highest coffee society price of Sh105.

That she wants to play a bigger political role in the region was partly demonstrated by her calls, the first in the region, for new leaders to be elected to lead Jubilee. This was prompted by personal outbursts of then Jubilee Party Vice Chairman David Murathe attacking Deputy President William Ruto.

Waiguru’s intervention in the matter was because such attacks on the top leadership of the party were likely to heighten political suspicion and give a wrong message that Murathe was representing the views of the party.

“It is imperative and in order that Jubilee holds party elections, as soon as possible, to forestall internal divisions and ensure statements are made by elected party officials, and that they, in fact, represent the views of the Jubilee Party as a whole,” said Waiguru. "Jubilee must support the Building Bridges Initiative to ensure the continued unity of the nation."

When Murathe resigned following more pressure from leaders, Waiguru made it very clear of her no-nonsense approach to party discipline.

“Reckless utterances can often lead to unnecessary divisions and chaos. While freedom of expression is a protected right, incivility has no place in present-day Kenya or within the ruling Jubilee Party. We welcome the timely resignation of David Murathe.”

At the local level, the just concluded installation of 1,200 streetlights cutting from Sagana through to Samson Corder is expected not only to improve security but also mobility at night, making it easier for a 24-hour trade, especially at the Kagio fresh produce market.

The governor has also just inaugurated Kirinyaga Investment Development Authority (KIDA). The Board is chaired by Kibuga Kareithi, former CEO of the Nairobi Securities Exchange who has extensive experience in finance and investment amongst other areas. KIDA will be responsible for driving investor engagement for Kirinyaga's flagship projects.

In July, the governor is expected to launch Kiri-Care, Kirinyaga County's health insurance fund to ensure universal health coverage in the county.