Tangatanga leaders sidelined as Uhuru meets Mt Kenya leaders in Nyeri

President Uhuru Kenyatta arrives at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri.

If the unofficial programme of President Uhuru Kenyatta's caucus with Mt Kenya region at the Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri is anything to go by, then the writing is on the wall for the Tangatanga wing of the Jubilee party.

Whether deliberate or not, those slated to address the meeting are largely Kieleweke-aligned with their Tangatanga counterparts having no representative at the meeting.

The Tangatanga camp consists of legislators drumming up support for DP William Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.

Kieleweke was formed to counter Tangatanga, which was born out of President Uhuru’s criticism of his deputy’s whirlwind tours of the country ostensibly to initiate development projects.

According to the programme, former Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe was slated to be the master of ceremonies.

Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu who is the face of Kieleweke faction of Jubilee has been named to talk on behalf of Mt Kenya MPs, something that will not go down well with the Tangatanga faction.

Wambugu has been a strong critic of Deputy President William Ruto since the rapprochement between Uhuru and Raila Odinga better known as the handshake.

Wambugu is also a proponent of the proposed Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) fiercely opposed by the Ruto faction of Jubilee.

Missing in the list are ardent supporters of Ruto such as Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa, Kirinyaga Woman Rep Purity Ngirici and Kandara MP, Alice Wahome some of whom have been going around the country urging Kenyans to reject BBI.

Also to address the conference are CSs Joe Mucheru (ICT), James Macharia (Transport), Sicily Kariuki (Health), Margaret Kobia (Public Service) and PS Karanja Kibicho (Interior) all reported to be pro-handshake.

Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi is also one of the speakers.

Wambui Nyutu is expected to represent the youth from the region at the meeting. He will share with the president some of the challenges they face.

Immediate Equity Bank Group chair Peter Munga is another speaker nominated to represent the business community from the region.

Former Nairobi deputy governor and Executive Vice President in charge of Vivo Energy's sales across the oil marketing company's operations in Africa Polycarp Igathe will represent MT Kenya professionals.

The meeting at the Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County is being attended by governors, senators, MPs, MCAs, county commissioners and representatives from various sectors.

Previous meetings

Since his handshake with Opposition chief Raila Odinga, there has been tension between President Uhuru and some of the leaders from Mt Kenya backing his deputy.

The leaders have accused Uhuru of abandoning the region development-wise.

The tension has seen the President cancelled planned meetings in his backyard amid the war of words between the factions.

Just four days ago, President Uhuru cancelled, at the eleventh hour, earlier scheduled meeting in Central region.

Uhuru was scheduled to attend a church service at Kenol in Murang’a but sent Cabinet secretaries Dr Fred Matiang’i, James Macharia (Transport) and Joe Mucheru (ICT) to represent him.