Stop hiring Mt Kenya youth as goons, KK told

Central Kenya leaders allied to the Azimio la Umoja alliance have accused Kenya Kwanza leaders drawn from the region of taking advantage of the unemployed youth for political gain.

The leaders who include former Murang’a governor Mwangi wa Iria, his former Laikipia counterpart Ndiritu Muriithi and embattled Jubilee Party Secretary Jeremiah Kioni said that the youth are being hired as goons by politicians in the ruling coalition to disrupt Azimio demonstrations.

“Central Kenya youths are being antagonised with other communities before being eventually isolated. They are the ones being told to attack the homes of their leaders and they are the ones who have been used today to attack people and property in different of Nairobi,” the leaders said after the Azimio demonstrations.

The politicians were referring to the aborted Azimio La Umoja demonstrations where two vehicles were torched. In the first incident, a minibus was set fire along Ngong Road while in a separate incident, a heavy-duty truck was burned on the Southern Bypass.

Unsuspecting voters

Wa Iria (pictured) said that there has been a worrying trend where tribal cards are played by politicians from the region on unsuspecting voters.

“Central Kenya residents are always busy tending to their farms and businesses. When politicians say bad things about other communities they will buy into that and that’s the narrative that has been used for ages,” Wa Iria said.

The former Murang’a county boss said that three leaders are victims of negative ethnicity being peddled by some government leaders in the government.

“If you support Odinga, you are being profiled, and this trend should not be allowed to continue. When we ask about the cost of living, they are accusing us of supporting Raila yet the cost of living is affecting everybody including those who voted for the government. Most of the meetings being held are to expand tribal rifts between Kikuyu and other tribes,” Wa Iria noted.

Kioni said that the vocal Kenya Kwanza politicians who have been hiring youth to cause violence during Azimio protests cannot purport to be speaking on behalf of the Kikuyu community.

“The few politicians started these acts you have been witnessing during the electioneering period. They intend to endear themselves in the State House. Let them first address the challenges that Kikuyus are facing including the cost of living and electricity. The Kikuyu want to live peacefully with other communities,” Kioni said.