Mount Kenya leaders have said they will field one presidential candidate from the region.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Mount Kenya leaders forum held at Kenya Methodist University in Imenti, Meru county on Saturday, the leaders said they have the numbers and will not accept to be divided into small groups and be locked out of the presidency.
The leaders who included governors Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga) James Nyoro (Kiambu), Nderitu Murithi (Laikipia) Ann Kananu (Nairobi), Former Kiambu governor William Kabogo and several MPs from the region urged Agriculture CS Peter Munya join the race for top seat saying he has the capacity to lead the country.
Kabogo is among politicians from Mt Kenya who have declared interest for presidency in next year's polls.
Waiguru said women are capable and should not be discriminated in leadership.
"When I champion for women it should not be seen as if I am creating a seat for myself. I was able to trounce seven men to become governor so my championing for a higher set should not be looked down upon," she said.
The govermor said they will choose one leader among all those who have declared interest to avoid splitting the region's votes.
“Munya has done a good job as agriculture CS, he has increased the prices of coffee and tea within a short time. If he declared interest he will receive a lot of support,” she said.
The Kirinyaga governor said Mt Kenya residents do not want tokenism but rather to be empowered as they are good at farming.
She said they will rally behind one party and cast their votes in one basket.
Waiguru said the region with about nine million voters, needs to be united or they risk being out of the next government.
“If we split we will regret and the leaders will be blamed for the predicament. So we will not accept to be split between the East and West and end up in the opposition,” she said.
The governor said they will do door-to-door campaigns to ensure the region is not split.
Kiambu governor James Nyoro said he will support Munya if he declares interest for the top seat.
“If the CS job will cage him from joining the race, we will ask the President to allow him to multi task. We will also ask Kabogo to join the Presidential tent and we can discuss and know our way forward as a region.
Nyoro said since independence, Mt Kenya has been determining who wins the seat and should not accept to be divided.
“The Kikuyu community has won the top seat because of their unity and speaking in one voice. There are many big tribes in Africa like the Igbo in Nigeria, Baganda in Uganda but they have never clinched presidential seat as they are divided,” Nyoro said.
The governor said Mt Kenya speak in one voice by fielding one presidential candidate under one party.
“If you want to talk to us, you should come and talk to as as one united people of Mt Kenya,” Nyoro said.
Murithi said Mt Kenya counties economy is bigger than 34 countries in Africa.
“We want to improve the economy and we cannot do that without being united, so we will negotiate together,” he said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Nairobi acting governor Ann Kananu, Kabogo and several MPs who attended the event.
No elected MP or MCA from Mt Kenya East attended the event.
Meru senator Mithika Linturi, Meru Deputy governor Titus Ntochiu, Meru leader of majority in the assembly Victor Karithi and Meru chief of staff Gedion Kimathi castigated the event saying the meeting was not meant for unity as leaders from Meru were not invited.
-Edited by SKanyara
