• Manyatta MP Muchiri maintains that his constituency should produce the replacement.
• Runyenjes leaders say they have a right to produce another county chief.
Image: Reuben Githinji
Embu subcounties are competing to produce the person to succeed Governor Martin Wambora come 2022.
Succession politics has heightened and Mbeere elders have demanded that a person from their area assume the mantle after the incumbent.
The elders, from Mururi clan, say it is their turn and the next governor should come from Mbeere North and South subcounties.
In all fairness, a leader from the two subcounties should replace Wambora, the 52 elders said after a meeting at G8 Hotel, Mbeere South. They were led by Euphraim Kamwega and Kivuti Nyaga.
Their statement came barely a week after Manyatta MP John Muchiri maintained that his constituency, which accommodates Embu North and West subcounties, should produce the replacement.
The Mbeere elders have chosen former Senator Lenny Kivuti, who narrowly lost the seat to Wambora in the last election. They said he is the most qualified person from the two subcounties.
The elders said they will work together with the Ndamata clan to negotiate with the Embu community and other ethnic groups and have them vote unanimously for Kivuti as the next governor.
“After 10 years, the seat of the governor will have been held by the Embu community, and thus, in all fairness, it should go to the Mbeere community. But Mururi and Ndamata clans and all the people in Mbeere will unite with Manyatta to agree with Runyenjes people because the seat is there now,” Nyaga said.
He said the Mururi and Ndamata clans from Mbeere North and South would like to unite with the Manyatta people to allow the seat to go to Mbeere so they get their support after 10 years.
As part of the elders’ efforts to achieve their goal, they want Kivuti to declare that he will share resources equally among the subcounties, and unite residents if elected.
Their position will, however, not augur well with Muchiri who has launched an aggressive campaign to succeed Wambora. The lawmaker says it will be Manyatta’s turn and is positioning himself as the subcounty’s frontrunner.
Muchiri argues that Manyatta is the most populous and the largest contributor to the county’s economy, hence should be considered for the top seat.
But some leaders from Runyenjes want to hear none of the arguments. Nominated MCA Margaret Kariuki and other politicians claim people from Manyatta have a right to produce another governor in 2022.
They say even though Wambora has his roots in Runyenjes subcounty, he lives in Mutundori, Manyatta subcounty, hence he is a Manyatta resident. They add that Manyatta has benefitted immensely from Wambora’s governorship.
(Edited by F'Orieny)