We want Nyaga, others failed us - Akorinos

Akorino clergy have said Mt Kenya leaders let them down in the revenue debate and that they now want former Minister Joe Nyaga to be their leader and kingpin.

The clergy said on Tuesday that Mt Kenya got a raw deal. They wanted the one man, one vote, one shilling formula but it was abandoned because their leaders in the Senate failed them.

Senators on September 17 unanimously voted to approve the formula after months of a standoff, 10 adjourned sittings, intimidation and bribery claims.

The clergymen are leaders of the Akorino sect from five Central Kenya counties -Nyeri, Murang’a, Kiambu, Kirinyaga and Nyandarua.

They said on Tuesday the formula should be reviewed, but that's considered impossible.

The clerics led by the Bible Truth Israel Church Bishop Johanna Ndirangu blamed the region’s poor leadership. He said it lacked "vibrant" leaders who could lobby support for the best formula

They spoke on the sidelines of an Akorino prayer meeting in Thika on Tuesday.

They said despite the region being highly populated and generating the highest percentage of revenue, the Senate resolved to allocate more funds to sparsely populated counties.

"Mt Kenya got a raw deal, we lost," Ndirangu said.

Last week Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro said Mt Kenya counties with a population of 10.78 million got Sh74.8 billion, translating to Sh6,800 per resident instead of Sh84 billion, which would have meant Sh7,890 per person.

Ndirangu said poor representation in the Senate led to the failure of the formula that would have meant billions of shillings in development money.

“We followed the Senate proceedings keenly but the leaders representing Mt Kenya region failed us. It’s an eye opener about the kind of leaders we should support in 2022," he said.

The bishop said the church has already scrutinised all leaders who want to represent the region in government.

“It’s everyone’s right to vie but the church won’t let our followers be misled. We have seen the kind of leaders we currently have and the losses we have suffered because of them. All we want is development-oriented leaders,” he said.

Ndirangu said that the church is supporting ex-Minister Joseph Nyaga to become the region's political kingpin after President Uhuru Kenyatta's second term ends.

He was the Minister for Cooperatives Development and Marketing in the Grand Coalition government.

Other leaders in the race to succeed Uhuru include former Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and Murang’a county boss Mwangi wa Iiria.

 “We have weighed their abilities and scrutinised their behaviour in leadership. We have settled on Nyaga because he is untainted by graft and is an experienced leader. We are confident he can fill Uhuru's shoes and continue his development agenda."

Bishop Elijah Mburu from Nyandarua Israel Covenant Church said they were optimistic Nyaga, once given a chance and supported by the President, will be in the forefront in reviving tea, coffee, milk and horticulture sectors.

“Mt Kenya largely depends on farming and we are hopeful Nyaga with his vast experience in leadership and management will be able to improve it," Mburu said.

“As the church we say no to anyone implicated in corruption scandals,” he added.

The clerics called on Uhuru to include Nyaga in his development agenda, especially for Mt. Kenya.

“Even in the BBI meetings, we want someone we can trust to lead us and show us the right way. Nyaga is the right man for the job because he can easily unite this region as the President has been doing,” Pastor Ruth Mburu said.

(Edited by V. Graham)