Kiraitu Murungi, Peter Munya in running mate game plan

Meru Governor Peter Munya. (Photo: Peter Muthomi/Standard)

Governor Peter Munya has picked Peter Kaberia, Party of National Unity (PNU) Acting Executive Director, as his running mate. This has been perceived as a move to increase his chances of capturing Igembe votes.

In his acceptance speech Friday, Mr Kaberia said his appointment will consolidate the Igembe seat because “I have a very big following”.

“People know me very well. I thank his Excellency the Governor for picking me as his running mate. I will consolidate the Igembe votes, because I have always participated in education and other development projects,” said Kaberia.

Widely believed to be Governor Munya’s strongest challenger in the August 8 gubernatorial contest, Senator Kiraitu Murungi on the other hand has named businessman Titus Ntuchiu as his running mate, in a bid to win the Tigania, Munya’s home area votes.

Ntuchiu hails from Tigania West Sub-County, home of Tigania West MP David Kariithi, who is defending his seat on a PNU ticket.

Munya’s Deputy, Raphael Muriungi has opted to vie for the Igembe South parliamentary seat.

Murungi says his choice of Ntuchiu was influenced by the businessman’s track record after he launched on water, education and other development projects in Tigania. He is also said to have financed infrastructural, library and computer programmes at Miathene High School.

Ntuchiu has down played the choice of Kaberia, saying it will not change the political equation, because Jubilee Party is confident of sweeping votes. He termed Munya’s action as “too late in the day” because he, Murungi and JP leaders, were out to rout him on August 8. “We are not shaken. I pity whoever has been appointed because Senator Murungi and I have been together for the last one and half years, selling our agenda for Meru. We are confident of kicking Munya out,” said Ntuchiu.

Mr Salesio Mutea, a member of the PNU National Executive Council, who hails from Imenti, said Munya must have picked Kaberia, 65, because he wants to ‘return’ the deputy governor seat to Igembe, and to retain the support. “Igembe people will be very happy for that and vote for Munya,” he concluded.