Gatithine residents in Thangatha ward, Tigania East, say they are being discriminated against in recruitment for the national census.
The Meru County residents have accused the government of sidelining the area though many qualified supervisors and enumerator applied for the census next month.
They threatened to boycott the census.
“To make matters worse, even after we applied, no one was shortlisted. The government is discriminating against us. Why did we have to be made failures before shortlisting?” Mwenda Nkubi asked.
"We always vote in Tigania East, why we are sidelined as if we are not part of Tigania?" he asked.
They claimed that of all those recruited, none comes from Gatithine.
They said this is not the first time both national and county governments have abandoned them when they are in need.
The local MP came in for a beating for not standing up for them.
“MP Gichunge Kabeabea has done nothing for our area. Our roads are deplorable; we can’t count any development from his office. How can you boast of a father who does even visit you?" Samuel Gikundi asked.
Sabatian Karithi from Ngage village in Tiganaia East said the deputy county commissioner told him that was told he was overqualified for census work because he holds a University of Nairobi master's degree.
He said he was told the government could not trust him because a highly educated person could sue.
Karithi told the Star he is jobless and has no job prospects.
He said he will take any job because his children and wife rely on him and his family, like many others, are hungry.
Karithi said he is surprised at the criteria the government is using to exclude him.
(Edited by V. Graham)
