Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga and Othaya MP Gichuki Mugambi have bitterly exchanged words following the dumping of garbage outside the MP's office on Monday.
Their supporters have also been sucked into the garbage feud.
The county government has not been collecting garbage in Othaya town since mid-May.
It all started after employees at the MPs office reported to work on Monday morning to find a heap of garbage dumped at the MPs office.
Mugambi accused Governor Kahiga of being behind the dumping. He called Kahiga "a garbage hawker".
The MP posted on his Facebook page, “To Governor Kahiga, just to inform you that the pickup load of garbage you sent from Nyeri to my NG-CDF offices in Othaya this morning has arrived intact.”
“Obviously in life one gives what he is endowed with. Sad to note that this is what you have. Regrettably, I don't need it nor the people I represent in Othaya. You have always insisted that garbage is money, so kindly take it to your bank.”
Mugambi said he was shocked when he received photographs of garbage outside his office from his employees.
“I am told the vehicle belonging to the county government ferried the garbage all the way from Nyeri town,” the MP said.
Waithaka Kinyua, who works in the MPs office, said he was reporting to work when he found a pile of garbage at the gate.
Ndegwa Maguru claimed the garbage was not from Othaya but must have been brought from elsewhere.
Consolata Njoki called on the governor to take control of the garbage situation in the town.
Mugambi accused Kahiga of embarking on the construction of a multi-million bus park in Nyeri town without factoring in the relocation of the dumpsite. This has left Nyeri town without a dumping site.
“They have turned into garbage hawkers, hawking garbage in Kieni today, Mathira tomorrow and Othaya the other day. Their major project now is hawking of garbage,” Mugambi said.
He said the plan was to dump one heap of garbage outside his office and another at his home in Chinga, Othaya. The plan was discussed during a cabinet meeting chaired by Kahiga, he said.
“I received the information and tried to call the governor, but he denied the claims saying that was politics. But today it came to pass,” Mugambi said.
The legislator said those who dumped the garbage outside his office are known and details have been forwarded to the police for investigations and subsequent action.
But the governor trashed Mugambi’s claims terming them "unfortunate", adding that he will be seeking redress.
Kahiga said the county has minutes of all executive committee meetings held in the last three weeks and invited Mugambi or any other interested party to visit, peruse and confirm that his allegations are baseless and untrue.
He challenged Mugambi to tell the truth. “The hallmark of good leadership is to speak the truth,” Kahiga said.
More drama unfolded later on Monday when residents from the town arrived at the MPs office, scooped up the garbage and dumped it at the county government’s offices in Othaya town.
Mugambi further claimed that the county government had been dumping in people’s compounds in Gikeu, prompting residents to bar the government from dumping there.
The garbage, he said, has destroyed food crops and affected a church, homes, graves and latrines.
Ndirangu Wachira from Gikeu said they were not ready to allow garbage there and urged the county leadership to look for another solution to the problem. “This is not a solution. We know whoever did this wants to play politics with the thorny issue of garbage collection in this town,” he said.
But Kahiga told Mugambi to stop shifting blame and confront the problems he created.
“Gikeu dumpsite has served Othaya residents for the last 25 years. We engaged with residents and agreed to fence the dumpsite, provide mosquito nets, spray insecticide and repair the road."
He said Mugambi paid youths to dig a trench across the road to stop county vehicles from delivering murram to the site.
Mugambi denied the claims.
The youths also threatened to burn the county fire engine and excavator on site, Kahiga said.
The governor, however, said the county has long-term plans to establish a garbage sorting factory and has factored in money to purchase land.
Edited by A.N
