Moses Kuria: I'm fed up with stupidity of some Mt Kenya leaders

Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria looked pensive and in deep thought during the 10th celebration of Huduma Kenya at Nakuru Huduma Centre on November 8, 2023.  [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The supremacy battle in the Mt Kenya region continues after the Cabinet Minister for Public Service Moses Kuria presented himself as the alternative between Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.

Kuria has also condemned an incident in Murang'a where Nyoro together with three elected leaders "hijacked" an event organised by the Deputy President, accusing the legislators of engaging in showbiz when people were mourning the loss of loved ones through a landslide.

“In Murang'a they were competing on who would arrive first and later fry using a chopper and that is a high level of stupidity. I will not die twice. I’m fed up with stupidity,” said the CS at a Kikuyu gospel artist’s ceremony.

While contending that there is a strategy to divide the region, Kuria claimed that some leaders "who are being brought in Mt Kenya region" lacked political experience as they were not aware of the efforts that had been put in place to align the region.

“Some leaders are like maize stalks' fire, which after burning for a short while doesn’t leave a trace of charcoal. They don’t know of our efforts... and that is why they can only compete using choppers. Enough is enough we must chase them away,” he said.

He urged musicians to use their voice to help him "chase the leaders away", saying: "I have been supportive to artists but I have never asked them to return a hand, but today I ask you to join me in chasing away these ‘ostriches’ because you have a voice."

Later, the CS attended the Moses Kuria Cup Tournament fundraiser to support the ongoing competition targeting the central Kenya region that brings together 66 constituencies and 11 counties with a view to complimenting the fight against drugs and alcohol menace.

During the Gachagua function, the Murang'a legislators presented their Kiharu counterparts as their leaders.

The unfolding of the political events seems to have angered Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, an ardent ally of Gachagua, who now claims there is a well-oiled strategy to belittle the DP to undermine him under the guise of selling "the generational card" narrative.

Gakuya claimed Nyoro has been using choppers he claimed belonged to President William Ruto, alleging there was an elaborate scheme to portray an image of a divided Mt Kenya region.

“Nyoro is not intending to vie for the Presidency in 2027 and his momentum does not seem to be channeled to the 2032 Presidential bid because it would be too early to start that for now. He is a tortoise placed on top of the table. He uses choppers that belong to the President and this means he does not fuel them. Even if you want to replace Gachagua with Nyoro, why can’t you wait for the right time,” he said on Kameme TV yesterday.

While maintaining that he was not against the youthful leaders’ ambitions, he cautioned them to desists from being used to divide the region, maintaining that the Deputy Presidency post is not campaigned for.

The push and pull in the region comes at a time when Gachagua has been urging leaders to unite for the region to continue maintaining its relevance in the national political discourse under the clarion call of “buffaloes band together, not because of how they love each other but out of fear of being attacked by other wild animals. That is why I keep urging our leaders to remain united.”

The DP has also reached out to former President Uhuru Kenyatta, apologising to his mother and former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta when he asked for forgiveness over disparaging utterances made during the 2022 campaigns. Kenya Kwanza used the Kenyatta's name to sell their hustler versus dynasty narrative.