- The North and South politics started shortly after the promulgation of the Constitution in 2010.
- A section of leaders in the county have been igniting the debate on whether residents should vote for aspirants hailing from their areas.
Image: Alice Waithera
Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata has appealed to residents to ignore politicians scheming to divide the county along regions for their selfish interests.
Senator Kang’ata said residents should not be forced into voting along the lines of North and South regions in the senatorial and gubernatorial positions.
He added that they should vote for their candidates of choice regardless of their backgrounds.
Some leaders in the county have been igniting the debate on whether residents should vote for aspirants hailing from their areas.
The North and South politics started shortly after the promulgation of the Constitution in 2010, when political and opinion leaders met in Murang’a town to decide where the county headquarters would be.
Leaders from the southern region, which includes Gatanga, Maragua, Kandara and Kigumo, pushed for the headquarters to be stationed at Kenol in Maragua.
The northern part, which includes Kiharu, Kangema and Mathioya, suggested Murang’a town.
After a push and pull that lasted four hours, it was agreed the headquarters be in Murang’a town, which already had the infrastructure previously used by the now-defunct county and municipal councils.
This, however, left a section of people from the southern region feeling disadvantaged as they would have to travel a long distance to the headquarters.
In 2013, residents elected Governor Mwangi wa Iria who hails from Kiharu as governor and Kembi Gitura, also from Kiharu, as senator, further worsening the situation.
In 2017, an attempt made by some local leaders to revive the debate failed as residents re-elected Wa Iria and replaced Kembi, who served as Senate Deputy Speaker, with Kang’ata, also from Kiharu.
But Kang’ata, who spoke on Sunday, said what matters is an individual leader’s agenda and vision for the people of Murang’a.
Image: Alice Waithera
While on a meet-the-people tour, Kang’ata, who is vying for the governorship, said it is important for residents to ensure they evaluate the leaders before deciding who to vote for.
“I am asking the people of Murang’a not to allow anybody to convince them to vote based on their region and instead get a leader who fights for their interests,” he said.
Kang’ata will vie against Woman Representative Sabina Chege, who is from Kigumo, former Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau and Water Principal Secretary Joseph Wairagu (Kiharu).
Others in the race are former Devolution PS Irungu Nyakera (Mathioya) and Ahadi Kenya Trust CEO Stanley Kamau (Mathioya).
Kang'ata said his administration will prioritise healthcare and will provide free NHIF cards to poor families.
The programme will be facilitated through the extra Sh800 million the county earned in revenue allocation from the new revenue sharing formula.
Kang'ata helped push the new revenue sharing formula while serving as the Senate Majority Whip.
He further said he will implement the Ward Fund that will make it possible for MCAs to participate in the development of the county.
“A governor cannot know the needs of all parts of the county because it is vast, but the MCAs interact with people in the grassroots every day and know their particular needs,” he said.
The senator added that his administration will set up minimum guaranteed prices for milk that supports thousands of homes.
He further appealed to residents to vote for a leader with the experience required to run a county.
Kang’ata said with his experience as a councillor, MP and senator, he has evolved in politics, and that he has the capability to lead the county.
Former nominated MCA Catherine Mugo, who has announced her bid to vie for woman representative, called for peaceful co-existence among all residents despite their political affiliations.
Mugo, a lawyer, called for residents to vote in more women MPs, saying women have demonstrated their capability to be good leaders.
MCAs Nahashon Gachuhi (Gatanga) and Morris Thuku (Kiru) underscored the need for local youths to shun politicians seeking to use them to cause chaos during the campaigns.
(edited by Amol Awuor)