- They also agreed to work with the former presidential hopeful to unify the region.
- There is speculation that the former Gatanga MP could be up to bigger things.
Image: ALICE WAITHERA
Murang’a politicians on Saturday held talks with former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth in what could have stemmed from perceptions of the politicians’ growing dalliance with anti-President Uhuru Kenyatta forces.
Senator Irungu Kang'ata, Maragua MP Mary Wamaua, Wangari Mwaniki of Kigumo and Gatanga’s Nduati Ngugi met with Peter Kenneth at Thika Greens Hotel.
During the three-hour meeting they agreed to work closely and in consultation with Kenneth to support the President’s agenda.
They also agreed to work with the former presidential hopeful to unify the region to rally as a bloc behind President Kenyatta.
Kenneth got the politicos talking after a picture of him emerged in a meeting with Amani leader Musalia Mudavadi – said to be working on a coalition arrangement with Deputy President William Ruto.
More speculation that the former Gatanga MP could be up to bigger things, and a desire by Mt Kenya to front him as their kingpin, came to the fore last week.
This was when he joined Speaker Justin Muturi, Agriculture CS Peter Munya, Governors Kiraitu Murungi (Meru), Ndiritu Muriithi (Laikipia), and Majority leader Amos Kimunya for a lunch meeting at Panafric Hotel in Nairobi.
Governors Lee Kinyajui (Nakuru), Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka-Nithi) and Kirinyaga Senator Charles Kibiru were also present.
The leaders said the meeting was to congratulate Munya but sources indicated that there was more talk on building the roadmap for the next Mt Kenya kingpin.
Kenneth is being positioned either as a potential running mate in the 2022 presidential race or for a post in the expanded governance structure proposed in the Building Bridges Initiative.
The Kenya National Congress party leader unsuccessfully vied against President Kenyatta in 2013.
It emerged from reports of the meeting that there has been a little misunderstanding about Kenneth’s support for Uhuru’s agenda and unity of Mt Kenya.
The delegation at Saturday’s meeting had earlier claimed Kenneth was playing politics which was not aligned to President Kenyatta’s agenda.
However, Kenneth recently declared his readiness to work with the Jubilee government to help President Kenyatta achieve his vision for the country.
Nduati confirmed the meeting, saying they would rest easy after getting Kenneth’s position “from the horse’s mouth.”
He said they agreed to work together to solidify the President’s support in the region for the remaining two years of the latter’s term.
“We will then face the 2022 succession politics as a team to ensure that the region remains intact,” Nduati said.
Kenneth’s name is among those that have been mentioned the President Kenyatta succession race with another team said to be fronting Health CS Mutahi Kagwe.
Several top political voices from the region appear to have settled on Kenneth as the most qualified to work with President Kenyatta and hence best placed to present the region’s interests.
As Gatanga MP, Kenneth was rated the best in terms of prudent management of National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF).
Edited by Henry Makori