'Mbus' woes: Will Meru leaders dump Mount Kenya in 2017?

The Ameru, spanning from Thuci in Tharaka Nithi County to Ntonyiri, the farthest end of Meru County, have always identified politically with their Central Kenya cousins since the time they fought colonialists side by side during the struggle for uhuru.

After independence, Cabinet Minister Jackson Angaine (King of Meru) enjoyed a close relationship with President Jomo Kenyatta. The Merus were also tight with Mwai Kibaki from his days in the opposition and during his presidency. But now, different forces seem to be working against the union with pundits saying 2017 may see the Ameru vote split for and against President Uhuru.

Notably, Cord leader Raila Odinga has ‘friends’ in Meru County, a county he has visited twice in the past two years, the last being last month’s visit to Maua town, where he was welcomed by a huge crowd and area leaders.

Wealthy businessman Mike Makarena, one of the people who arranged the visit that Odinga used to reach out to miraa farmers, currently reeling under the ban of the crop in European markets, says they will vigorously campaign for Raila in 2017.

Makerana, one of the most loaded leaders in Meru, and chairman of the Kenya Miraa Farmers and Traders Association, said that although the Ameru have always supported Central Kenya for the presidency, time had come to part ways because there was no reciprocity.

“Our Field Marshall Ntokiringwa Mwariama and General Salim Mugira fought for independence and were Jomo Kenyatta’s allies during the Mau Mau struggle. But they died as paupers while others got a lot of property,” complained Makarena, adding that the Ameru will no longer support Central Kenya.

“(Governor Peter) Munya’s announcement that he will run for president in 2022 is the reason we are being fought. Central Kenya do not want to return the favour even once,” he noted, but vowed that he will use his influence to mobilise residents to vote for Raila in 2017.

“Miraa farmers are suffering because the Jubilee government has not helped us following the ban on the crop in European markets. There are thousands of families and traders who are suffering and we are not happy. This is why we have reached out to Raila to intervene,” Makarena, who is also chairman of the African Disabled Association, said.

Governor Munya’s announcement that he will run for president in 2022 has also thrown a spanner in the works, because Central Kenya leaders had already settled on Deputy Ruto for the top seat in 2022.

“It is now Meru’s turn to be on the national political map. We are Kenyans like others, so I will run for the presidency in 2022,” Munya declared, but still promised to support Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017.

Munya, also the Council of Governors’ (CoG) chairman, appealed to President Kenyatta to stop working with leaders who have lost touch with the Ameru and are “misleading him” in a veiled reference to Senator Kiraitu Murungi and other area leaders he has fallen out with him.

Announcing that he will unveil a new political party which Meru and Mount Kenya East will use to bargain for political and economic interests, Munya said it is not written anywhere that only people from particular regions should vie for the presidency. “Every Kenyan is free to vie, provided they meet the required qualifications, including a university degree,” said Munya.

John Ataya, Munya’s political and social adviser, says the larger Meru has a golden opportunity to assume the leadership of the country.

“Meru has now matured and we have always supported our brothers (the Kikuyus). We now believe it is the moment for them to support Munya,” said Dr Ataya, a lecturer at the Kenya Methodist University.

Ataya said the ‘pact’ to support Ruto in 2022 is between President Kenyatta and the deputy president.

“Governor Munya has attained a national stature and is also the CoG chairman. He is a charismatic leader and it shows we (the Ameru) are ready to support him,” he said. “It is their (the Kikuyus’) turn now to support a young man (Munya) who has been tried and tested by the nation and found able.”

Senator Kiraitu, seen as the de facto Jubilee point man in Meru County, has also fallen out with Munya after he announced his intention to dislodge Munya from the governorship.

Kiraitu, when recently speaking at Kiirua Methodist Church in Buuri, said he had tried to bring together Munya closer to the national government to no avail.

“I have sat him (Munya) with the president (Uhuru Kenyatta) and his deputy (William Ruto), but he is not listening. We want to be in a good relationship with the government,” said Kiraitu.

North Imenti MP, Rahim Dawood, and Woman Rep, Florence Kajuju, declared that the Ameru were firmly behind the Kenyatta-led Jubilee government.

But some area leaders, including Gichunge Kabeabea from Tigania East, have asked Kiraitu to stick to his Senate seat and leave Munya to govern.

“He supported Munya in 2013 and we want him to defend his Senate seat. We will support Munya for president in 2022,” said Kabeabea.

Secretary of the Central Kenya Joint Parliamentary and Assembly Caucus, Alhaji Mwendia and a close confidante of Kiraitu, says those whispering that Meru is breaking away from Central Kenya, are just “small mandazi boys’’ acting at the behest of forces trying to make inroads into Meru.

“Who are these ‘mandazi boys’ speaking for? Who is using them? How many people do they command?” scoffed Mwendia.