Residents and community leaders are split over two constituencies expected to be created from South Imenti in Meru County.
Even though there is no guarantee that the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) will pass, residents and leaders are fighting on which of the proposed constituencies the six wards will be under.
The leaders in the area are unanimous in their support for BBI, but divided on Mitunguu.
Igembe Central and South Imenti are the two constituencies that the BBI proposes to be split to create two additional ones for Meru.
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According to the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020, the allocation of additional 90 constituencies in the counties is to be based on population density.
"The allocation of an additional constituency will be done in a manner that ensures the number of inhabitants in a constituency is as near as possible to the population quota," the proposed referendum Bill states.
Meru has a population of 1,545,714, according to the 2019 population census and out of its nine constituencies, Igembe Central and South Imenti have the highest number of people and are expected to benefit from additional seats.
Igembe Central, currently represented by Cyprian Kiringo (Jubilee), has a population of 221,412 while South Imenti, represented by Kathuri Murungi (independent), has 206,506 people, according to the 2019 census.
But while the proposed split has not generated notable heat in the miraa growing Igembe Central, the proposal has divided residents and leaders in the predominantly tea, coffee and banana growing South Imenti, which is also the home area of Governor Kiraitu Murungi (pictured).
The bone of contention is how to allocate the six wards to the two constituencies if this happens. A section of community leaders who included former Mitunguu councillor M’Itonga M’Mithiaru, said they wanted Mitunguu to be paired with Abogeta East and Igoji East wards.
“With similar economic activities, it is prudent that the three wards are paired together in order to benefit from the synergy created in similar economic undertakings,” the group said in a statement read by Mitunguu MCA Evans Mawira.
Gerald Kirigi, a community leader, said: “The fact that BBI is giving us an extra constituency is good, but we are not going to allow Mitunguu to be merged with Abogeta. We will mobilise the community and collect signatures to express our opposition, if need be.”
