- The forum has escalated engagements to bring as many leaders on board as possible.
- The meeting is being planned for next week.
A caucus of leaders pushing for the unity of Mt Kenya is planning a key meeting of politicians next week to firm up the region's agenda ahead of the 2022 polls.
It has emerged that the caucus, dubbed Mt Kenya Unity Forum, is reaching out to Tangatanga and Kieleweke MPs for the crucial meeting to come up with the region's wish list.
On Monday, Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua and The Service Party boss Mwangi Kiunjuri held talks with some of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s confidants at Nairobi Serena Hotel.
Among those who attended the meeting were Kieni MP Kanini Kega and Murang’a Woman Rep Sabina Chege of the ruling Jubilee Party.
The Star established that the aim of the meeting was to kick-start a bipartisan process of rallying the region together in crafting its agenda, which includes a political framework of engagement and socio-economic issues that will be central in negotiations with presidential candidates.
Karua, who spoke on behalf of the group, confirmed that a bigger meeting is being planned to bring on board all elected leaders from the region to consolidate its 2022 agenda.
“We have resolved that we are going to reach out to every elected MP in the Mt Kenya region for the next meeting, which we hope will be in the next coming week,” she said.
The Narc Kenya party boss said the team has secured the commitment of more leaders to pursue the unity of purpose for the sake of the interests of residents.
“We want our leaders to be present in the next meeting as we deliberate on the issues that are going to be our wish list to any candidate who is seeking the presidency of this country,” she said.
Every elected leader will receive an invite.
With Uhuru's tenure coming to an end, the region, which for the first time has no serious presidential contender, plans to secure its interests in the next administration.
The meeting comes at a time when some of Deputy President William Ruto's allies from Mt Kenya have clashed over the fate of small parties in his 2022 presidential bid.
On Sunday, Kiunjuri warned that he will not be hustled into winding up his TSP outfit for the United Democratic Alliance ahead of next year's polls.
Kuria also hit out at the UDA party, saying efforts to stifle multipartyism in Tangatanga would be taking the country back to the dark days under Kanu.
Speaking about Mt Kenya parties, Karua said no leader should be pushed to dissolve their parties, adding that that would go against the tenets of democracy.
“We are committed to the unity of purpose, we are committed to multipartyism, nobody will be told to leave their parties unless they wish to do so. We remain in our parties but we have unity of purpose,” she said on Monday.
The caucus has maintained that the irreducible minimums, which will be drafted, would be the basis for the region's political negotiations with 2022 presidential candidates, including Ruto.
Karua, Kiunjuri and Kuria kick-started the Mt Kenya unity bid in May, saying it would be the only avenue through which they can be guaranteed a higher stake in the next government.
-Edited by SKanyara