Aburi denies using supporters to heckle Kawira during Ruto tour

Former Tigania West MP David Karithi has condemned some Meru leaders he alleges used residents to shout down Governor Kawira Mwangaza during President William Ruto's visit  tour last week.

Karithi said leaders using 'innocent' residents to boo the governor created a bad picture. He praised constituents who did not shout the governor down. 

"You cannot shout down leaders who are going to bring development to people," Karithi said.

During the President's tour on Friday, the governor was heckled by residents of Mikinduri. At one time the President had to intervene to calm down the crowd. Kawira's allies said the hecklers were supporters of Tigania East MP Mpuru Aburi. 

Karithi spoke on Wednesday in Mbaarua after attending a public participation forum in Tigania West constituency.

But Tigania East MP Aburi, who spoke to the Star on phone, distanced himself from the heckling, saying the county boss was booed in the whole of Meru county and not just Buuri and Tigania West.

"She was heckled in the whole of Meru county, especially Nyambene. It seems she has angered the whole of Meru," Aburi said.

Former legislator Karithi defended Kawira on the Mechanical Transport Fund that the county boss has decided to use instead of local road contractors, a move that has angered several MCAs.

Karithi said the project is good as most contractors do shoddy jobs but expect to be paid.

He said there was no way the national government-owned MTF would steal from the county.

"They will do proper work and the people of Meru will benefit." He said in his constituency 10 roads that have remained unattended for years will benefit.

Meru senator Kathuri Murungi has also opposed to the MTF building roads in Meru, saying the projects would lead to capital flight from county coffers.

Kathuri said it did not make sense for money to be allocated to the devolved unit only to have the same sent back to the national government.

The MTF is based at the Transport and Infrastructure ministry under the Roads Department and enters into agreement with county governments on supply and maintenance of road construction equipment.

On December 13, Governor Mwangaza signed an agreement with MTF and injected Sh531 million into the fund to undertake roads projects dubbed Mwangaza Barabarani.

Kathuri concurred with MCAs who had asked the governor to severe links with MTF.

“Contractors don’t work for themselves and in isolation. Before a project is handed over engineers have to inspect it and endorse the works. Does it mean that the governor does not have confidence in her own administration? We need to build local capacity both in the government and private sector,” Kathuri said.