Kindiki's star rising fast in Mt Kenya East

Kenya: He may have started as a nondescript politician, but Senate Majority Leader Kindiki Kithure has quickly risen to become one of the leading voices in the Jubilee government.

Through design or default, Prof Kindiki is emerging as a leading light in Mt Kenya region, eclipsing the likes of Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi.

Already, most of the politicians in Mt Kenya East region, comprising Meru, Tharaka Nithi and Embu counties, are gravitating towards the youthful politician.

Kindiki has managed to cut a niche for himself by managing to bring together the MPs from the region to speak in one voice at meetings attended by his mentor, Deputy President William Ruto.

Former Assistant Minister Mathew Adams Karauri says Kindiki, though youthful and coming from a traditionally marginalised part of the larger Meru, has quickly gained acceptance and is now the undisputed leader of the Ameru.

Kindiki treads cautiously, and is not given to spontaneous outbursts at political rallies. But a careful observation of political happenings in Mt Kenya East reveals what looks to be a well-laid plan to hoist him onto a more prominent role, as the spokesman of the region’s communities. The project is designed to market his leadership qualities, and ultimately elevate him to the political apex of the area between Rupingazi River in Embu County and Ntonyiri, the northwestern end of Meru County.

Selfish agenda

Even Kiraitu (the ‘king of Meru’ during most of the Kibaki presidency) seems to have reluctantly blessed the ascension of Kindiki to the throne.

“Prof Kindiki is the most educated person in (the larger) Meru. I have only three law degrees and was just a lecturer. Kindiki is a law professor, a learned man. I wanted the Senate Majority Leader seat, but stepped back because he was ahead,” Murungi said at a function in his backyard of Nkubu recently.

But Meru Assembly Majority Leader Ayub Bundi says Kindiki is not the person to carry the community’s flag in 2022.

“There are two political camps in Meru. In the first one is Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi, as chairman of the Meru Parliamentarians and the MPs pushing the Kindiki agenda. The second camp is headed by Governor Peter Munya. Senator Kiraitu failed to get the backing of Meru MPs when he wanted to be the Majority Leader, but they supported Kindiki. They have a selfish agenda to push and are not working for the good of Meru County,” says Bundi.

“The entire political leadership in Meru, apart from a section of MPs, want Munya to go for a higher office in 2022. If not the presidency, at least the number two post. Munya did a lot as an assistant minister and is one of the top performing governors. Historically and geographically, Kindiki comes from Tharaka, a very small sub-tribe of Meru.

 

“Kindiki has not pushed our interests because roads in Meru, including Buuri and lower Imenti, are not tarmacked. We want one of our own because Kindiki is not accommodating and even talks like a dictator, yet he wants to be king of the Meru,” added Bundi

Meru Deputy Speaker Gideon Kimathi says there is a plan to prop up Kindiki in the 2022 elections: “We have seen such a game plan, and as a confidant of Senator Kiraitu, I know he is just trying to strike a balance. He doesn’t want friction in the larger Meru area. What is not in question is that Kiraitu is able to rally all the Ameru, just as he did for Kibaki.”

Former Imenti North MP Silas Muriuki says Meru is in a ‘confused’ state because both Munya and Kindiki are doing a superb job.

“People say Kiraitu divided the Imenti and Igembe communities, and because of that, he lost part of his following,” Muriuki says.

Murungi’s close allies say he has clearly read the writing on the wall after the Majority Leader debacle and could be marking time, serving his last parliamentary stint. It could be the reason he has changed his tune.

Earlier this year, in an acrimonious meeting at Kianjagi in Maara Constituency that was attended by the Deputy President, the idea that Kindiki could be Ruto’s running mate in 2022 was floated.

Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti, who was also present at that gathering, said they had identified Kindiki as the man to unite Mt Kenya region because he is an educated and talented leader. The initial cheerleading was done by the likes of Kareke Mbiuki (Maara), Muthomi Njuki (Chuka/Igambang'ombe) and Linturi (Igembe South).

“He has my blessings, and I would be the first person to support his bid in 2022,” said Kivuti, who serves as the chairman of the Mt Kenya East Parliamentary Group.

Long-term investment

Kivuti is seen as close to Kiraitu by dint of being the vice chairman of the Alliance Party of Kenya (APK) and one of its chief financiers. Kiraitu is the party leader.

The chorus is perplexing. Alhaji Mwendia Muguna, the Organising Secretary of APK and a nominated Member of the County Assembly was hitherto seen as one of the biggest believers in Murungi. He is actually a blood relative.

But now he says: “We want to rally the Meru community to support Kindiki because it is a long-term investment, to make him the indisputable leader of Meru politics come 2022. Just as Kiraitu was close to Kibaki, so is Kindiki to UhuruRuto.”

It is a sentiment shared by Karauri, who says that while Kiraitu picked up baggage during his long stint in the Kibaki Cabinet, Kindiki is unsoiled and easily inspires unity in the diverse region that is Meru, even before you consider Mt Kenya East.

 

And Igembe North MP Joseph Eruaki says Kindiki is able to comfortably compete for any public office, so he should focus on the larger picture, not Meru alone. Eruaki points out that Kindiki and National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi are the most senior politicians in Mt Kenya East.

Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders Secretary General Phares Ruteere is also full of praise for the 42-year-old senator.

“Kindiki is unbiased, has a sober mind and talks sense all the time. He can count on the support of the Meru elders, because we are proud of him,” says Ruteere.

The law scholar has accompanied Ruto to many functions in Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Meru, and his supporters say it is a sign that the two might be the Jubilee flag bearers come 2022.

A careful perusal of the amount of distance Kindiki has covered, especially in Meru County, in the last four months reveals that the only constituency he has not visited is Imenti Central, but word on the grapevine is that he is landing there soon.

He has traversed the two Meru counties and donated money, usually hundreds of thousands at a go, for different projects, earning loads of adulation.

Tigania East MP Mpuru Aburi (ODM) says the Meru MPs are thinking of bargaining for power by backing Kindiki for the deputy president position in 2022.

Kindiki accepts the adulation and endorsement, but is cautious.

“I am humbled by the confidence my good colleagues, the people of Tharaka-Nithi and indeed the wider Mt Kenya East region have in me. I appreciate that a journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step and we are planning tomorrow’s journey. But it is too early to dwell on that matter,” said Kindiki.

“I am cognizant that going forward, I need to balance my role as the Senate Majority Leader and my role as Tharaka Nithi Senator.”

Expectedly, Central Kenya politicians, even those close to Ruto, steer clear of discussing Kindiki’s political trajectory. They say it is too early to state positions and make enemies.