Three legislators and a governor want Tanga Tanga and Kieleweke teams to be disbanded for the sake of Mount Kenya region unity.
“We should sit down as a region and lay strategies as all is not going on well. Kieleweke and Tanga Tanga should be dismantled for the sake of our unity,” Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi said.
Kiraitu was addressing a funds raiser for a church at Ntugi in Buuri constituency. Other speakers were area MP Mugambi Rindikiri, his Chuka Igambang’ombe counterpart Patrick Munene and Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri.
Munene said Mount Kenya leaders should support one of their own to be Deputy President William Ruto’s running mate in 2022.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has been the region's kingpin, is going to retire. We should ask ourselves if we will be in government and through who,” he said.
He said Kiraitu and Kiunjuri have served in government and should unite the Mount Kenya voting block.
“We should do away with Tanga Tanga and Kieleweke teams. We, as Mount Kenya should go to the ballot as a block. We have about six or seven million votes but our leaders are confused. Today they are in Tanga Tanga, tomorrow they are in Kieleweke,” Rindikiri said.
Mugambi said, “We want at least one of our own to be deputy President. We will unite Nyeri, Laikipia, Embu, Kirinyaga, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Murang'a, Kiambu, Nyandaraua and Nakuru,” he said.
The staunch Ruto supporter said Kiraitu and Kiunjuri can unite Mount Kenya leaders. He said Ruto supports President Kenyatta although he is in Tanga Tanga.
Laikipia Senator John Kinyua said Kiunjuri is fit to be Ruto’s running mate.
Kiraitu said Meru will not vote foolishly anymore.“As Meru, we are going to look at who will take care of our interest as politics is all about interests. We will support a person we believe will help Meru develop,” he said.
The governor said in 2013 he formed Alliance Party of Kenya and Kiunjuri formed GNU but they supported President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“But President Uhuru Kenyatta called us in and told us of his proposal to have one party so we agreed to fold up our parties and merge under Jubilee to make it strong,” Kiraitu said.
Kiraitu said now the time has come again and we need to think otherwise and form a strategy as Mount Kenya.
He said that while they supported Ruto, they want to know what he plans for the region.
Kiunjuri said, "We cannot continue being on the opposite side. We must lead our Mount Kenya people in one direction. There is Kieleweke and Tanga Tanga but I ask myself why it is only Mount Kenya leaders whoa are divided."
