• Waiguru was officiating a county function and the youth had demanded that area MCA be given a chance to address them.
• But the governor was having none of it.
Image: COURTESY
Governor Anne Waiguru held on to the microphone and refused to hand it Mutira MCA Kinyua Wangui.
The youths in the sizeable gathering at Kagumo market in Kirinyaga Central constituency stood in protest and began booing her.
Armed police cordoned the dais where Waiguru was standing, to counter any eventuality.
The governor was officiating a county function and the youth had demanded that area MCA, Wangui, be given a chance to address them. But the governor was having none of it.
After officially opening the modern market constructed by her government, Waiguru declared that she would not allow Wangui to continue insulting her in public.
She insisted that she had respect for all leaders but the MCA was constantly mudslinging her.
"Respect is two-way traffic and I also deserve to be treated fairly as a leader," she remarked.
Efforts to cool down tempers by security officers and the governor were unsuccessful.
As the situation turned nasty, Waiguru bowed to pressure and handed over the microphone to Wangui to greet the people, restoring calm.
Wangui said he fully supported Waiguru's development agenda but denied undermining and hurling insults at her.
He accused his political enemies of peddling falsehoods to drive a wedge between him and the governor.
"My political enemies are antagonising me and the governor. I support projects by the devolved government and my foes should stop misleading the governor," he said.
After the meeting, the youth carried Wangui shoulder high while chanting victory slogans.
Later, Waiguru dismissed the intruders as hired goons brought to disrupt her function.
"Those were not residents. They were goons given money to try and cause chaos but I will not give up my mission to improve the lives of residents," she said.
Waiguru said she does not advocate violence and urged residents not to agree to be used by politicians to frustrate her from delivering on her mandate.
Meanwhile, Deputy President William Ruto on Thursday hit back at Waiguru for 'perpetuating tribalism'.
Waiguru had on Wednesday said Kenya was not ready for another Kikuyu president, adding that it would fuel the feelings of exclusion from the country's top leadership by other communities.
“Let’s be honest, Kenya has many communities and one or two cannot continue dominating the leadership of this country,” Waiguru said.
The governor said Kenyans should embrace the Building Bridges Initiative since its proposals are meant to unite the country.
Ruto has previously said that BBI is ODM leader Raila Odinga's project.
The DP on Thursday said in a tweet that Jubilee supported and voted for President Uhuru Kenyatta to succeed former President Mwai Kibaki not because of ethnicity but competence.
"He is not leader of any ethnic community but that of Jubilee, the largest political party with MCA's,MPs and governors in 41 of 47 counties and President of Kenya. Muwache kasumba ya ukabila please (Stop promoting tribalism)," Ruto wrote on Twitter.
On Wednesday Waiguru praised Kirinyaga MCAs for rejecting the Punguza Mizigo bill, saying it was not favourable to residents.
Punguza Mizigo sponsor and Thirdway Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot criticised Waiguru for celebrating the rejection, yet the county assembly had not yet debated the bill.
(edited by O. Owino)