•Mpuru had said he regretted campaigning for Kiraitu against former governer Munya thinking Kiraitu would be better
•Kiraitu says he knows Mpuru well enough to know the MP will campaign for him
Image: FILE
Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi has downplayed East Africa Legislative Assembly MP Mpuru Aburi's criticism, saying he will be his main campaigner in 2022.
Kiraitu asked Meru people not to "vote like fools" in the next general elections in all the posts that will be balloted.
He said politics is all about interests, telling leaders from the region to desist from dividing electorates for their selfish interests.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta said 2022 general elections are far and politicians, as well as elected leaders, should concentrate on his Big Four agenda to uplift our people,” the governor said.
Mpuru was the first MP who expressed regret for campaigning against CS Peter Munya— former Meru boss - thinking Kiraitu woukld be better in the realisation of development.
Mpuru, CS Munya, Senator Mithika Linturi, MP Maoka Maore (Igembe North) and a section of MCAs have accused Kiraitu of carrying on projects without public participation, initiating projects that are of no priority to residents, skewed employment, lack of regional balance and poor development funds absorption among others.
Mpuru said he now fully supports Munya, whose administration the MP was a fierce critic of.
"I want to warn you (Kiraitu) against ruling Meru like [former Zimbabwe President Robert] Mugabe; we will vote you out. I regret we campaigned and removed the tortoise from a top of the tree but to my surprise, we promoted and placed a cheetah a top of it to manage our resources," Mpuru said.
"Now we are doomed because even when we ask for our share, it is not coming forth."
Kiraitu said Mpuru will be his best campaigner and strategist in the coming general elections "despite the influential muscles he is playing to discredit his former ally turned foe".
“We will be here with Mpuru in the coming campaigns. I assure you he will be singing my songs. We have been in politics with Mpuru since 1992 and I know him very well. Don’t bother his criticisms against my administration,” Kiraitu told Mikinduri residents, Mpuru's home village, on Wednesday.
He was awarding Sh104 million bursary funds to students from the county.
The governor said his regime is aimed towards a 100 per cent transition from nursery, primary, secondary school and tertiary level through the issuance of bursaries, provision of free milk to ECDE learners among other flagship initiatives.
He said people should stop counting their riches in terms of their land but through education.
“Land will wither with time and families will be dividing the land among themselves using a ruler. The only sure way to transform society is through education,” Kiraitu said.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)