•The leaders assured locals that the President cannot lead the region astray.
•They however emphasized the need to strengthen the Jubilee party to enhance its negotiation powers.
Image: Alice Waithera
Jubilee politicians have continued to rally Murang’a people behind President Uhuru Kenyatta two weeks after he endorsed ODM leader Raila Odinga as his successor.
The leaders have told residents the region needs to have its own political outfit to enable it to negotiate with its partners after the general election.
They emphasised the need for locals to join Jubilee and ensure many leaders are elected through the party, adding that the region will be in safe hands in the leadership of Raila.
Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth told gatherings in Murang’a and Maragua towns that the President cannot deliberately lead the region astray.
He said Uhuru’s decision to back Raila was aimed at preserving the community after his tenure is over.
The region, he said, needs to work with people who will not hoodwink locals and leave them in peril.
“Where the President has told us to go, it is because it is the safest for the community. Avoid people who will lie to you then lead you to problems,” he said.
While attacking DP William Ruto, Kenneth said Mt Kenya residents should not follow somebody just because they go to church carrying a bible.
Image: Alice Waithera
He said the late former President Daniel arap Moi also did the same but ended up suppressing the region economically.
“Do not allow yourself to follow the same path. I saw him asking the people of Nyeri to vote for him for one term and then evaluate his success before re-electing him but do not forget there is a possibility of changing the constitution to elongate his term,” he told the crowd.
Mathioya MP Peter Kimari said the Jubilee Party is aiming at producing over 100 MPs,saying its strength will determine its position in the next government.
He appealed to Murang’a residents to join the party saying that joining other parties will be weakening Jubilee.
“We have to strengthen our own party especially now that we do not have a candidate. Our strength will depend on the seats we get. Don’t allow this fire to go off."said Kimari.
"We are not giving away the government, we want to be part of the next government.” .
Gatanga MP Nduati Ngugi on his part said the Mt. Kenya region was in the political cold for a long time before former President Mwai Kibaki was elected in 2002.
“Why would we want to leave our own outfit and risk going back to the cold,"Nduati said.
"We do not want to be guests in other people’s homes, we want to have our own home.In parliament, people do politics based on their parties.”
On his part, Murang’a senate aspirant Kembi Gitura appealed to supporters of Jubilee to reach out to the youths and rally them behind the party saying the President is looking out for the interests of the region.
When he lobbied for BBI, Kembi said, the President knew a time would come that the region would go without a presidential candidate after being in power for about 20 years.
The President wanted each county to get its rightful share of the national resources through the one man, one vote, one shilling regardless of the sitting President.
“Murang’a should be getting about Sh 14 billion based on the population instead of Sh 7 billion it is getting,” he said.
(Edited by Francis Wadegu)