Minister to host Murang'a MPs in Nairobi

By Boniface Gikandi

Legislators from Murang'a County are scheduled for a meeting on Wednesday April 11,  to chart the political direction of the county.

The leaders are torn between supporting Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Assistant Minister Peter Kenneth, who hails from the area, for the presidency.

After he was elevated to the Cabinet Nairobi Metropolitan Minister Jamleck Kamau said his first task was to bring together his parliamentary colleagues from his Murang’a backyard before reaching out to councillors and other leaders.

On Tuesday, the MPs confirmed having received a text message from the minister inviting them for lunch at a Nairobi hotel.

The region has Kenneth, Elias Mbau (Maragua) Clement Wambugu (Mathioya), Muturi Mwangi (Kiharu) and Maina Kamau (Kandara).

Kangema parliamentary seat was left vacant following the death of John Michuki.

In a meeting with leaders from Murang’a soon after he was promoted, Kamau said he would fit in the shoes of Michuki and bring unity among the leaders.

Separately, a councillor whose salary was stopped for exposing alleged misuse of council money in Maragua has threatened to move to court to have the move overturned.

Patrick Kinyanjui on Tuesday said he was ready to move to court to challenge decision by his colleagues to stop his salary and allowances over a letter he wrote to Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi.

Attend seminars

In the letter dated March 19 to the minister, Kinyanjui explained how revenue meant for community projects had been used to facilitate seminars that are of no value to the council. At the same time, a document in our possession indicates that between July last year and March this year about Sh2,353,000 was spent to facilitate civic leaders and chief officers attend seminars and workshops.

Speaking to The Standard, Kinyanjui said he will not be cowed by threats to apologise to his colleagues to have his salary reinstated.

In his letter, Kinyanjui highlighted how development projects initiated by the council had stalled after the revenue collected were diverted to facilitate civic leaders to sessions organised by Association of local government of Kenya.

Last week in a closed-door stormy full council meeting, the civic leaders resolved to stop Kinyanjui’s pay.