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The Nairobian

Embu group seeking to install Ruto as elder fails to meet him

Eastern

By Joseph Muchiri | Jun 27, 2016

**Deputy President William Ruto greets members of the puplic at Kerugoya town during a funds drive in aid of Mary Immaculate Catholic church Pastoral center Kirinyaga County on 24/06/2016. PHOTO BY DPPS**

A mission by Embu elders seeking to install Deputy President William Ruto to their rank turned into an anti-climax after they failed to meet him at his Karen residence.

Hundreds of elders from Embu had travelled to Nairobi to formally invite the deputy president to their county to install him as an elder at a later date. They had paid Sh700 each as return fare.

The high hopes of Nyangi Ndiiiriri Cultural Group members were crushed after they were denied entry into Ruto's Karen residence since they had no appointment.

A few weeks ago, they resolved to install Ruto as an Embu elder and wanted to break the news to him at his official residence.

"In 2013, our Mbeere counterparts had installed Ruto as a Mbeere elder and named him Njuki, but we were unhappy because they sidelined us. We decided to hold our own similar function," said their chairman Andrew Ireri.

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He said the elders wrote a letter to Embu County Commissioner Esther Maina requesting her to book an appointment on their behalf and later flag off the delegation to Nairobi.

"The letter was received and stamped by her secretary. I later sent my vice-chairman Angelus Mwaniki who met Ms Maina to affirm that the journey was still on," said Ireri.

On Friday, the delegation arrived at the county commissioner's office in Embu town at 6am and left at 10am after she failed to turn up to flag them off.

They resolved that it would be foolhardy not to travel to Nairobi when the DP was awaiting them.

Incidentally, as their convoy of two buses and about 20 matatus snaked its way past Rupingazi River heading to Nairobi, Ruto was at that time touring Kirinyaga County where he commissioned Gatitu Tea Factory in Gichugu and later attended a fundraiser in Kerugoya town.

According to a journalist with a vernacular TV station who accompanied the elders, police officers manning the DP's Karen residence welcomed them with a lot of respect and showed them where to park their vehicles.

"The officers checked their books and informed them that no booking had been done," said the journalist Peter Karanu.

As the hours passed by, the elders became irritated and started complaining. "We paid money for transport only to arrive and be denied entry. We lost our money and a whole day," said an elderly woman.

The elder told Ireri to refund their money and compensate them for the time wasted.

Ireri apologised to the group and promised the issue would be resolved at a later date. "Some people reached home at midnight. I kept on calling to ensure they all arrived home safely," said Ireri.

Yesterday, Ireri blamed Ms Maina for failing to book an appointment with the DP.

Contacted on phone, Ms Maina distanced herself from the entire saga, saying she never received their letter and has no authority to book such as an appointment.

"Their vice-chairman came to my office saying they had secured an appointment and they wanted me to flag them off. I asked him to bring the letter to me but he did not. I called a personal assistant to the DP and was told no such meeting had been booked," said Ms Maina.