Nyeri residents' wish list ahead of Uhuru’s much-awaited visit

An aerial view of Kirichu colonial village in Nyeri on January 30 2016. (PHOTO:KIBATA KIHU/ STANDARD)

KENYA: Residents and leaders of Nyeri County have prepared a long wish list for President Uhuru Kenyatta. When the President visits the region they want him to deliver solutions to their challenges ranging from agriculture to politics to development.

Top on the list is alcoholism, a vice that is creeping back after the President had ordered a crackdown on what he called "business of death". Challenges in the coffee industry, the proposed construction of mega dams for Kieni and Tetu and the settlement of colonial squatters are also lined up for the president's attention.

According to a State House source, the President is expected to tour the region either in the first or the second week of February.

During the tour, the President is scheduled to preside over a police passing out parade at the Kenya Police College in Kiganjo.

Area leaders would want the President to crush cartels in the coffee industry.

"The cartels have now formed semi-cartels which are stealing coffee from factories. If we are not cautious, farmers will end up abandoning the crop," said Mathira MP Peter Weru. Nyeri Jubilee Alliance party (JAP) chairman Mr Wambugu Nyamu has asked the President to issue a directive to have armed security posted to all coffee factories.

"We want to tell the President that these increasing cases of coffee theft in factories are just cosmetic. The managements have something to say in all these attacks," said Nyamu.
Senator Mutahi Kagwe has urged Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet to crack the whip and ensure sanity returns to the county.

"Nyeri County is largely an agricultural economy with 53 per cent of the residents being in agricultural production. Tea, coffee and dairy farming are the major activities, and with the runaway crime, this will adversely affect our county's economy. In a span of about one month, cases of murder, attempted carjacking and coffee theft have been reported across the county. Members of the public have also informed me that there is an armed gang which is terrorising Nyeri town residents," said Kagwe in a statement.

He continued: "As the Senator of Nyeri County, I have made a direct appeal to the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet to make the necessary structural changes that will effectively address insecurity in the county"

Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando also condemned the factory thefts saying they were likely to demoralise coffee farmers.

"Of coffee theft, it is like a ritual. After a full year's toil, smugglers 'raid' factories overnight and take all from poor peasants," Kabando said.

Several coffee factories have been broken into and coffee estimated to be worth millions of shillings stolen in Mukurweini, Mathira and Tetu sub-counties.

In the drier Kieni Constituency represented in Parliament by Kanini Kega, residents want the President to launch the construction of mega dams. Kega said the Government had allocated funds for construction of the expected to boost irrigation in the area.

"We will raise the issue with the President so that he instructs the Ttreasury to speed up release of the funds for construction works to commence," said Kega.

The county leaders will also be pushing for the resettlement of more than 8,000 colonial villagers who reside in the county's 74 colonial villages.

Last week, more than 4,000 colonial squatters from 70 villages spread across the county petitioned President Kenyatta to allocate them land.

The squatters, led by Richard Waweru from Karkuret village in Kieni, said they have been living in isolated villages where they were concentrated by the colonialists during the State of Emergency in 1952.

"We are appealing to President Kenyatta to consider giving us title deeds during his tour of Nyeri. It is sad that Nyeri was a crucial component during the freedom fight, but we were left without land, and we have been living in villages since then," said Waweru.

But inhabitants of 234 households at Kirichu colonial village are living in fear. Last week, they say, leaflets were dropped in the area warning them to vacate. They argue that some people do not want them to express their grievances to the President.

Last month during the Jamhuri Day celebrations, Governor Nderitu Gachagua said mapping and demarcation of the colonial villages was almost complete, and pledged to invite President Kenyatta to present title deeds to the occupants.

The exit of former Transport Cabinet Secretary Engineer Michael Kamau from government is likely to inform political undertones during the tour. Kamau comes from the county.
Political pundits argue that Nyeri was short changed in the recent Cabinet reshuffle.

President Kenyatta enjoys solid support from Nyeri but the sacking of Engineer Kamau has elicited grievances that the county has been sidelined from mainstream government. In the Kibaki administration, Nyeri Town MP Esther Murugi was a Cabinet minister for 10 years. Kibaki comes from Nyeri.

A section of aspirants for various political seats in the next general elections and 2013 poll losers in the last elections also want audience with the President. They are however afraid that sitting elected leaders, especially MPs, would frustrate their efforts for selfish political considerations. According to them, elected leaders from the county with access to the president have shielded him and created a wedge between him and the voters.

The JAP chairman agrees. According to Nyamu, elected leaders who wanted to take over positions in the party caused divisions which eventually led to formation of JP.

"We are asking the President to ensure grassroots leaders are involved in formation of the new party so as to win the hearts of the electorate. Elected leaders have a hidden agenda in the new party and that is why they declined to strengthen JAP," said Nyamu.

He warned that failure to ensure democracy in JP would likely lead to formation of other small parties where aspirants who are rigged out of JP would contest elections.

"We want democracy, and as the President tours Nyeri, we want to tell him that if he allows elected leaders to take over prime positions in JP, they are likely to bungle nominations so that they retain their positions. This could lead to aspirants seeking tickets from other small parties, hence kill his dream of forming one strong party," said Nyamu.