Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s close ally and Tharaka Nithi County Governor Muthomi Njuki has thrown his weight behind Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki as Mount Kenya’s point man in the Kenya Kwanza government.
Justifying his stance, the county head who was speaking in Tharaka Nithi County, noted that Gachagua who has relentlessly run a campaign to rally the region behind him, should mend his relationship with President William Ruto to secure the region’s interests.
He explained that the region was at risk of missing out on the government perks if the DP continued with his campaign and that the region was fully backing Kindiki since he is the closest link between them and the government.
“Hatuezi tafuta serikali kwa shida tukiwa kwa msitu ambayo tulikua tumeekewa na rais yule alikua hapo, alafu tukipata serikali tuachane na ile serikali tumetafuta tuingie kwa kichaka tukisema serikali imeanza kutuonea. Kwa sababu sai wakati tumeleta mchezo hapa watu wa Central, rais ameenda akatafuta ile inaitwa broad-based government, sasa wale watu tulikua tunapigana nao, kina Mbadi, Wandai, Joho na wale wengine hao ndio wako kwa serikali ndani. Sai tukicheza kila kitu itaenda pande ile,” he said
“Hatuezi tafuta serikali na shida alafu turudi tuingie katika kichaka tuachie wengine wameingia wapya wakule serikali. Tumemwambia deputy president wetu, let him work on his relationship with the president, na mimi nasema naunga mkono wale watu naona wakitetea MCAs wetu na wabunge, wakisema wameweka signature kukubali Kithure Kindiki akue pointman. Kitu tuko na haja nayo ni kufikia serikali, kama huyo deputy president hatuezi kumtuma atupeleke neno ama jambo kwa rais, tafadhali rais tumekubali tutatuma Kindiki kwa sababu ndiye tumeona ako karibu na wewe.”
The latest comes days after a section of MCAs drawn from Kiambu, Nairobi, Laikipia, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Embu, Nyandarua, Nakuru, Isiolo, Meru, and Tharaka Nithi Counties voiced their support for Kindiki as the region’s link to the government.
48 Members of Parliament (MPs) also supported the Interior CS as the right person to champion for Mt Kenya’s development.
Similarly, over 2,000 Njuri Ncheke elders had also rallied behind Kindiki, dealing a heavy blow to DP Gachagua, who has continuously run a campaign to rally the region behind him.
Speaking after their declaration, the leaders said CS Kindiki had passed the Njuri Ncheke test for leadership.
“We the Njuri Ncheke elders from the counties of Meru and Tharaka Nithi have gathered here in Njiru to say that Kithure Kindiki who has a cordial working relationship with our President William Ruto is our favourite,” Njuri Ncheke chairman Adriano Aruyaru said.
“Today Njuri Ncheke in their numbers have endorsed him as our kingpin and spokesman. He will be our link as Mt Kenya East to President William Ruto.”
