•AN MP has dared Nyeri women representative Rahab Mukami to go ahead and invite Deputy President William Ruto to re-launch a project launched a week ago.
Image: EUTYCAS MUCHIRI
An MP has dared Nyeri Woman Representative Rahab Mukami to invite Deputy President William Ruto to re-launch a project.
Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu on his Facebook page said Mukami wants to bring the DP on September 7 to re-launch Nyeri Town Youth Empowerment Centre.
Wambugu termed this as provocation.
“Do you guys remember the Nyeri Town Youth Empowerment Centre we opened officially one week ago; on August 9. Well, apparently Nyeri Woman Rep Rahab Mukami now wants to bring Deputy President William Ruto to ‘re-open’ it on September 7,” wrote Wambugu.
“Kama hii si uchokozi [if this is not an act of provocation] …I don’t know. Lakini isorait (But it is alright). Watatukuta hapa hapa, na ... (They will find us here, and…”
But Mukami has dismissed the MP’s claims. He said he is the aggressor.
Mukami said Wambugu has not contributed any money towards the youth centre that was equipped by her predecessor Priscilla Nyokabi. Mukami beat Nyokabi in the 2017 General Election.
“I gave Sh4.5 million for the centre while the ICT hub was funded by the ICT Ministry under Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru. Wambugu has not contributed a single cent towards the project. Even the wiring was done by the national government,” Mukami said.
She said Wambugu rushed to attend the launch of the project in which she (Mukami) opted to keep off.
“I have been trying to avoid conflicts with the MP but he is becoming too much. I also have a right to convene meetings in Nyeri town because people there voted for me as well,” she said.
“Why does he think about the DP all the time? The DP is not coming to launch the centre because it has already been launched by the director of planning. Besides, he has other things to do,” she said.
Mukami accused the MP of being malicious and said that she has no intentions of having the project re-launched.
The two leaders have been at loggerheads. Wambugu has accused Mukami of campaigning for the DP ahead of 2022 elections against President Uhuru Kenyatta's wish.
On Friday chaos marred "Inua Mama" function at DEB Muslim Primary School in Nyeri town. The meeting hosted by Mukami was calm until the Woman Rep gave her address.
She said "Inua Mama" was firmly behind President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP Ruto. It is at this point that a group of youths shouted her down, saying they recognised the President only.
The group said the President was behind the cheques she was issuing.
Chaos erupted, paralysing the meeting for a while. Police were able to control the situation and arrested several people believed to be supporters of the Kieleweke faction of Jubilee party.
The chaos prompted half of those in attendance to leave the venue in a hurry. Half of the chairs remained empty.
The meeting then continued amid tension. Women leaders opted to stand and follow the proceeding in fear of more fracas. Their short speeches lasted about 30 seconds each.
Thereafter, a group of people later sneaked into the venue with pliers and secretly cut off public address system cables. The system was disabled for about 30 minutes.
Leaders who had accompanied Mukami issued bursary cheques and dust coats to women' and youth groups. The leaders had a similar event in Kirinyaga county that Friday morning. Later, Wambugu showed up at the event and sat in the crowd, heightening tension.
A month ago, youths disrupted a meeting by Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri and Mukami after they visited Gatitu-Murugur ward in Nyeri town to launch a Sh261 million Riamukurwe irrigation water project.
Wambugu later accused Kiunjuri of campaigning for the DP. He said Kiunjuri was seeking to be Ruto’s running mate.