University and college students from Mt Kenya region now want Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru considered as a possible replacement for Rigathi Gachagua as the Deputy President.
The students, led by the national chairman Pharis Jane, have at the same called on President William Ruto to ensure that he picks a deputy from the region while reminding him of his promise to prioritise and uphold women leadership in the country.
Under the Mt Kenya College and University Students Association (M-CUSA), the students have also endorsed the impeachment of the second-in-command arguing that he has “done so little” for the two years he has been in office.
They threw their weight behind Waiguru saying she is the best-suited leader to assume the role of the Deputy President. The M-CUSA chair said that Waiguru has consistently demonstrated visionary leadership from the time she served the country as the Cabinet Secretary for Devolution.
International appeal
They highlighted the establishment of Huduma Centres, Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) and Integrated Financial Management System (Ifmis) among others as some of the successes achieved under Waiguru’s stewardship.
“Waiguru’s ability to navigate complex national matters as a two-term Governor and Council of Governors (CoG) chairperson as well as her international appeal makes her the ideal leader to represent Mt Kenya region on the national stage. We believe that having Governor Waiguru as the next Deputy President will not only strengthen the region’s voice in the government but also ensure that the needs of the youth are prioritised,” Jane said.
Wanjohi Njoroge, an official representing Murang’a County, insisted they want a leader who will spearhead development projects as well as lobby for the revival of stalled projects in the region. He claimed that for the two years, Gachagua has been at the helm of the region’s leadership, Mt Kenya has witnessed underdevelopment including the stalling of key projects like the Mau Mau road, Kenol-Sagana-Marua road, Ruiru-Githunguri-Uplands road among others.
His sentiments were echoed by Joan Murigi, a student leader at Kenyatta University who affirmed that Mt Kenya region requires robust infrastructure including proper road networks, electricity and digital connectivity.
Richard Gichira from Nyeri County said that the region has a vacuum of strong leadership to fight for its interests including agriculture.
“We had been promised that cartels who have dealt farmers huge losses will be wiped out. On the contrary, the cartels seem to have been emboldened. Our region is in dire need of a firm and decisive leader who will free farmers from the dungeons of cartels,” he said.
