Kikuyu elders offer to reconcile CS Alice Wahome, Woman Rep Betty Maina

Kikuyu Council of Elders has offered to lead the mediation talks between Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome and Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina to help settle their differences.

The elders said the ongoing fight between the two leaders sets a bad precedent for the public and might affect service delivery to the people.

Speaking after conducting a cleansing ritual in Kandara, the elders said they are not taking sides in the issue but they want the two to bury the hatchet and work together.

“We are not here to defend or attack anyone but we want the two leaders to sit down and solve their differences amicably and we are willing to lead the talks,” said Gachanja Mugo, one of the elders.

“As elders, it’s our role to provide guidance to the leaders and society in general,” he added.

Wainaina Kinyanjui another elder said leaders should be the pacesetters in uniting the people and should avoid washing their dirty linen in public.

Kinyanjui said the war between the two has spilled over to social media platforms where the supporters from each party are attacking each other.

“Our young people are now being used to settle scores on social media and this is only making the situation worse,” he said.

Maina dismisses elders’ efforts

The woman representative, however, dismissed the elders calling them political brokers claiming they are being used to sanctify Wahome.

Efforts to reach Wahome for a response were futile.

The tussle between the two started about a month ago during the campaigns for the Kandara parliamentary seat by-election.

Maina claimed Wahome was supporting a candidate from another party instead of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate.

She said this was a betrayal of the highest order adding that it goes against the party’s constitution claiming that the CS was pushing the candidate for her own interests.

“Wahome had her preferred candidate during the party primaries and when he failed to secure the ticket, she opted to support other aspirant hoping to edge out the UDA candidate,” said Maina.

“In her position as the cabinet secretary she should not be involved in politics instead she should focus on her work,” she added.