The controversy stirred by President Uhuru Kenyatta's expected new Cabinet raged on Sunday when 15 MPs from Mount Kenya region defended Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri.
In a joint statement, the MPs told off Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina for asking the President to sack Mr Kiunjuri on claims that he had fallen out with the region's leaders.
The lawmakers, who spoke at a press briefing in Nairobi, said Maina should not purport to speak on their behalf and that he should not interfere with the cabinet-making process.
They defended Kiunjuri, saying he was a competent leader who had jealously guarded the devolution agenda and one who had traversed the country campaigning for Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto.
“The President and his deputy do not need the unsolicited counsel from one Senator Maina on who to appoint or not to appoint to the Cabinet. Appointments to the Cabinet are the constitutional prerogative of the President and we shall support him unconditionally in the appointments he shall make,” said Laikipia West MP Patrick Mariru.
Mr Mariru accused the senator of crossing leadership boundaries and said no one had elected him as the spokesman for Mt Kenya region.
He argued that there were enough leaders in Laikipia and that all the elected leaders were in support of Kiunjuri for the work he had put in over the years.
Thika MP Patrick Wainaina emphasised that the time for politics was over and that it was now time for leaders from the region to work together.
“Kiunjuri had the opportunity to vie for governor or run for any other post but he shelved those ambitions to support President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto," said Mr Wainaina.
Tetu MP Gichuhi Mwangi said the President had consulted the necessary people in appointing Kiunjuri and that Maina needed to support the Jubilee Party agenda.
“As a leader from the region, I have a problem with him (Maina) trying to project his own personal view as a Mt Kenya leaders position,” Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu said separately.
Laikipia Senator John Kinyua, Laikipia North MP Sarah Korere and Members of the County Assembly said the President made the right decision in appointing Kiunjuri to the Cabinet.
In his defence, Maina clarified that he had not called for the sacking of Kiunjuri but faulted him for interfering with Nyeri County politics.
He said during the campaigns, Kiunjuri had visited a church in Nyeri, where he campaigned for his competitor Dan Wamahiu, who was vying as an independent candidate.
This he said, went against the President's orders.
“It is not expected of a Cabinet secretary to be campaigning for a political candidate yet the President had outlawed the same," he added.
He further denied claims that he was trying to dictate who should be in Cabinet, saying this was the prerogative of the President.
"This briefing has nothing to do with the choosing of the President’s Cabinet because that is his prerogative,” said Maina.
He dismissed allegations that he was trying to spread divisive politics, saying he would work with the leaders to ensure a united Mt Kenya region.
The legislator however warned the leaders, including Kiunjuri, to steer clear of Nyeri politics.
