- "Politics is about interests,'" declared former Laikipia Governor Nderitu Muriithi.
- "There are clear indications of political, economic annihilation of this community and its starts slowly,'" declared Kioni.
Image: HANDOUT
A section of Mt Kenya leaders within Azimio have intensified their unity push under their Kamwene initiative, promising to fight for the interests of their region.
They maintained they will remain in Azimio even as they push for the ''interests'' of the Mt Kenya region.
Speaking during their first major meeting that brought together delegates from the 10 Mt Kenya counties, the leaders told their critics that the Kamwene drive will soon become the voice of Mount Kenya.
"Politics is about interests,'" declared former Laikipia Governor Nderitu Muriithi.
The ex-governor said their unity is about the "interests'' of the region and nothing else.
"What we are about, and we do not want to lie to you, is about the interests. So those detractors who get edgy simply because the mountain is acting together, there is no need to do that," he said.
"Politics is about interests and we the people of the mountain stand up in the Republic of Kenya to state our case," Muriithi added.
The meeting at Nairobi's Ufangamano House was also attended by Narc Kenya boss Martha Karua and Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni.
"There are clear indications of political, and economic annihilation of this community, and it starts slowly,'" declared Kioni.
The former Ndaragwa MP said Mt Kenya was now paying dearly for ignoring what he termed as the negative political campaign that was unleashed on "'our people more than four or five years ago".
"We thought that people would be able to differentiate between right and wrong, but we are now paying dearly as a community," he said.
The ex-MP said that the region is the biggest loser through what he termed as the government's punitive economic policies by President William Ruto's regime.
"We can no longer see light at the end of the tunnel,'" he stated.
On her part, Karua said the Kamwene forum will soon gather momentum and become the voice of the people of the Mount Kenya region.
"The forum is for us to talk about our interests, political, economic, social, cultural, and spiritual and also to unite us so that we solidify our voice,'" she said.
"One of our resolutions is that we make Kamwene the voice of the mountain so that when Kamwene speaks the mountain roars.'"
Karua said the leaders are still strong members of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition.
This is amid speculations that they are plotting an exit strategy from the Raila Odinga-led coalition.
She downplayed comments Raila made last Sunday suggesting that he had endorsed Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as his heir in 2027.
“Right now, we are not talking about the race but about the unity of Mt Kenya people. Kalonzo Musyoka is our brother. We are in Azimio to stay but we still have Kamwene Caucus to caucus about Mt Kenya issues,” she said.
“He (Odinga) wrote a statement of clarification, but even if he had endorsed [him], it would be within his right. An endorsement does not in any way curtail the chances of any other person who may wish to enter the race.”
Asked what if Raila backed Musyoka for president in 2027, Karua said: “We refused to engage in distractions. Take them somewhere else, we are here to talk about Kamwene.”