Meru leaders split over Senator Kiraitu team's visit to DP Ruto

A meeting between Deputy President William Ruto and some Meru leaders has sparked off a fresh row among the county's politicians. PHOTO: COURTESY

A meeting between Deputy President William Ruto and some Meru leaders has sparked off a fresh row among the county's politicians.

The controversy thrust Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi in the eye of the storm and comes in the wake of a disagreement over the appointment of the Jubilee Party point men in Central region.

Those who were left out of the meeting held at the DP's official residence in Karen, Nairobi felt they were being sidelined in the running of the party's activities.

But those who attended the Monday meeting insisted that it was "a meeting of Nyambene professionals" to discuss development issues ahead of the DP's visit to the region on Friday. Ruto is expected to attend a function at the Kaaga Synod in Imenti North.

The meeting, according to sources, was attended by leaders allied to Mr Kiraitu and has sparked fears that Ruto might be having a favoured team in the region.

The Kiraitu allies are part of Kikali team, an acronym for Kiraitu, (Florence) Kajuju and (Mithika) Linturi. The three attended the meeting together with MPs allied to the group.

With Kiraitu being the leader of the group leading President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election campaign in Meru, aspirants from the region had expressed fear that the meeting could be a tactic to isolate them ahead of the party primaries scheduled for early next year. Yesterday, leaders who are not affiliated to the group but support President Kenyatta's re-election said if they were not taken on board the strategy might backfire.

The Presidency's Education Advisor Kilemi Mwiria and Tigania West MP David Kariithi are some of the leaders who yesterday accused Kikali of excluding them from the meeting.

But Ruto's Communication Secretary David Mugonyi, Igembe North MP Joseph M'Eruaki, Ms Kajuju and Kiraitu's aide Patrick Muriungi told them off saying the meeting was to map the development agenda of the county "and those who were not at the meeting had themselves to blame".

Apart from Kiraitu, Kajuju and Mr Linturi other MPs affiliated to Kikali are: MPs Mpuru M'Aburi (Tigania East), Kubai Kiringo (Igembe Central) and Joseph M'Eruaki (Igembe North).

Mr Kariithi claimed the meeting was facilitated by Kikali and affiliate MPs "who are bent on dislodging (Meru) Governor Peter Munya in the 2017 General Election".

"It is unfortunate that I, an elected MP and the MCAs from Nyambene were not invited to the meeting with the deputy president. The Kikali team had a meeting with the DP but excluded us, yet we are major stakeholders who support the Jubilee Party," Kariithi said, adding that JP risked losing supporters.

He added: "There was no elected leader from Tigania at the meeting and we want to appeal to the Presidency not to be duped by Kikali. We are also in Jubilee."

Mr Mwiria, who lost the 2013 gubernatorial race to Mr Munya, said it was unfortunate that Nyambene leaders were not involved.

"It was a Kikali meeting. I was not involved," said Dr Mwiria, who had previously opposed Kiraitu's leadership of their Jubilee Party campaign team in Eastern region, arguing that nominations would not be free and fair with him in charge.

But Muriungi aide said the senator did not convene the meeting. "It was a meeting of professionals from Nyambene and the DP. The senator was not part of it, and only attended it after being informed it was happening," he added.

Mugonyi was more direct: "Do they (those complaining about the meeting) know the criteria, and are they members of the professionals association? Yes the DP is expected in Meru on Friday but it is yet to be confirmed."