Kiraitu calls for unity in Mt Kenya

By Francis Ngige

Concerned about the disunity among politicians, Mt Kenya region leaders have started a series of meetings aimed at convincing the locals to join one political outfit.

Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi on Tuesday led a group of MPs in such a meeting in Nyeri after holding a similar one in Meru.

Kiraitu and the Central Kenya Parliamentary Group chairman Ephraim Maina said it is through such forums in all the counties that the locals would understand the importance of being in one political party.

Cabinet minister Esther Murugi, Assistant minister Peter Munya and several councillors attended the meeting.

During the meeting at Nyamachaki Hall in Nyeri town, Kiraitu said there was a likelihood of the 1992 scenario recurring and hurting the region politically.

Tight rope

He said during the first multi-party politics, the region’s votes were shared between then Ford Asili leader Kenneth Matiba and Kibaki, then in Democratic Party.

"We are walking on a very tight rope and if we do not put our house in order, the region will remain in opposition forever. At the moment, we are the only region with no dominant party," said Kiraitu.

He surprised those present when he claimed that data from the Registrar of Political Parties indicate that 75 per cent of all registered parties were from the region.

"These are facts which we cannot run away from. As matters stand now, the region has three leaders aspiring to be president and all are determined to go all the way," said the minister.

Kiraitu continued: "There is no way we will open up talks with other regions while we remain scattered in different parties. The signs are clearly on the wall; if we don’t unite we are doomed."

Lack of unity

There has been concern over lack of unity in the region with Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta aspiring to be president alongside MPs Martha Karua (Gichugu) and Peter Kenneth (Gatanga).

Efforts to have the three support one candidate have not borne fruit.

Kiraitu has unsuccessfully tried to whip the "Kibaki friendly" leaders to join the Alliance Party of Kenya.

On Tuesday Murugi supported Kiraitu’s sentiments, saying the disunity was the region’s major undoing.

"From what we see it is as if every village has a political party. How do you expect people to respect us and we don’t speak in one voice," posed Murugi.

Munya said: "To preserve Kibaki’s legacy, we should remain united and elect a person who will continue with his development projects."