- Muturi is set to bring together elected and non-elected leaders from the region at Chuka Stadium.
- North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood told the Star the region is not ready to play second fiddle to anyone in the next year polls.
Image: MOSES ODHIAMBO
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi will host a high-powered delegation of Mt Kenya East leaders to consolidate his grip on the group in the run up to 2022.
Muturi is set to bring together elected and non-elected leaders from the region at Chuka Stadium on Saturday.
Governors Kiraitu Murungi of Meru, Muthomi Njuki of Tharaka Nithi and Martin Wambora of Embu will join the meeting.
MPs and MCAs from the three counties will attend. Religious leaders and trade union leaders are expected.
The meeting comes in the wake of heated politics among bigwigs seeking to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
On Wednesday, the Star established that final touches were being made for the Saturday meeting, where a major announcement on the region’s political future will be made.
Organisers of the Chuka Stadium meeting have started sending out invitation letters, an exercise that will be concluded on Thursday.
As part of the process of introducing his bid to the entire country, Muturi is to address a meeting in Kisii on Friday.
He will address Kenyans on matters of health at the annual conference of the Kenya Medical Association.
The Speaker will then proceed to Chuka Stadium for what is deemed the final endorsement by his Mt Kenya East backyard.
He is scheduled to attend a church service in Meru, marking the first step into the 2022 succession battle.
Kiraitu in a phone interview with the Star said at Saturday's meeting they will introduce Muturi as the undisputed leader of the region.
“We are planning for the future of our region, just like anyone else. This one will be major, because we want everyone to know that JB is our undisputed leader from the East. We will be sending him to reach out to the rest of the country and negotiate on our behalf.”
He added, “We want the meeting to be as inclusive as possible, so we are expecting all leaders from Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi to attend, even those that don’t agree with us. Our message to the rest is simple, we are sending JB to you. He is our spokesperson. If you want to speak to us, talk to JB.”
Maturi has not announced which position he will be seeking in next year’s August election but there is speculation he could be upping his stake in readiness to negotiate for a running mate's slot.
Muturi has previously been touted as one of the people from Mt Kenya Deputy President William Ruto was considering for a running mate.
North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood told the Star the region is not ready to play second fiddle to anyone in the next year polls and will instead rally the region behind one of their own for the top seat.
“God willing in 2022 we will go as a united force, because we cannot afford to divide ourselves, even if it is Muturi. We don’t want to be told that we are going for a DP position, we want the President position,” Dawood said.
The lawmaker who confessed to not receiving a formal invitation as at Wednesday insisted that Muturi after being installed as Mt Kenya spokesman cannot bend low to deputise anyone.
“The Speaker wants the endorsement; you see, the President has not come out in the open to endorse him. We will have to wait and see how it comes out,” he said.
“Somebody wants to be the kingpin and then become a Deputy President, it will not work.”
Speaking to the Star on Tuesday, Muturi also dismissed talks that he is being prepared for a joint ticket with DP Ruto in the next year’s polls.
“For avoidance of doubt, I am my own man. The only thing I am aware of is that elders gave me the mantle to be the spokesman for the Mt Kenya region,” he told the Star on the phone.
(Edited by V. Graham)