Mwangi Kiunjuri calls for referendum in 100 days of next government

TSP party leader Mwangi Kiunjuri during the Mount Kenya Unity Forum meeting in Naivasha on September 20, 2021. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The Service Party (TSP) leader Mwangi Kiunjuri has said presidential hopefuls seeking support of the vote rich Mt Kenya must ensure constitutional changes in the first 100 days of taking over government.

Speaking in Siakago village, Mbeere North, Mr Kiunjuri said that the region will only receive a fair share of the national cake, through amendment of the law to cater for their interests.

The TSP leader promised to champion for some key clauses which were in the Constitution Amendment Bill, 2020, including equal representation and equitable sharing of the national cake.

"We cannot have one man one shilling one vote if we don't have a referendum. So whoever wants our support must guarantee us that in the first 100 days, we will have a referendum. this should be an irreducible minimum for Mt Kenya region," says Kiunjuri.

With about eight million votes, Mt Kenya was set to benefit from additional constituencies and increased allocation of funds if the Building Bridges Initiative had sailed through.

Kiunjuri wants all presidential hopefuls to outline how they will improve livelihoods in the region and turn around the economy.

"Mt Kenya is an agricultural zone, we want presidential hopefuls to assure us that they will honor the Malabo declaration, and set aside 10 per cent of the national budget for agriculture. We are signatories to this declaration, and so it should be honored," he said.

He promised to present TSP's irreducible minimum's memorandum to all aspirants, and will only support the one who means well for the region.