Meru Senator Mithika Linturi and Tigania East MP Joseph Kabeabea yesterday   accused a section of Mt Kenya leaders who held a meeting in the region of ‘invading’ the county to advance selfish political interests.

Linturi pointed a finger at governors Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru), Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), James Nyoro (Kiambu), Ndiritu Muriithi (Laikipia) and acting Nairobi governor Anne Kananu who were hosted by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya on Saturday as ‘political tourists’ being used to divide the region.

Area politicians led by governors Kiraitu Murungi (Meru), Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi) and their Embu counterpart Martin Wambora snubbed the meeting.

“Which unity are they talking about when they came here to announce they will field a presidential candidate from Mt Kenya when we people from the East are not consulted?

So we think they came here as tourists and we hope they enjoyed the Meru view,” said  Linturi.

He accused their Mt Kenya East counterparts of being selfish, claiming they have escorted them to power for many years and now it was time for them to reciprocate by supporting the East to reach to the high table in the next formation

“We are only ready to support a presidential candidate who will be ready to reward us as Mt Kenya and give us a good share of the national cake  through negotiation because we have  strength of  numbers but we are not ready to follow people blindly and pushed like cows  without knowing our benefit as people from East,” added Linturi.

Education bursary

Addressing residents during the issuance of Sh8 million  Antuanduru Day Secondary  School bus and education bursary funds to needy students, Linturi said area leaders will not agree to be fooled by their West neighbours to support a presidential candidate of their choice.

“Our presidential candidate is Deputy President William Ruto and Meru region is behind him so if they think they will plant another candidate and force us to support him ,We are telling them to forget it,” added Kabeabea.

Kabeabea asked Ruto to pick a running-mate from the east of the mountain which  has  for many years been  left out of  active power.

Accusing Munya and his team of trying to divide Mt Kenya votes, Linturi further asked President Uhuru Kenyatta not to endorse anybody but leave the field to Kenyans to elect their preferred next head of state after his retirement.

Speaking separately Meru county deputy governor Titus Ntochiu and Meru county assembly majority leader Victor Karithi also trashed the Saturday meeting that was held at Kenya Methodist University saying it was illegal.

“We will not allow Munya to dictate to us on which direction to follow ahead of 2022 and we  don’t recognise the meeting because even the governor of Meru and MPs were not invited so the meeting was only conveyed by a team of political cartels advancing their own political agenda and not that of the region,” added Ntochiu.