Irony of elected MPs surrendering their role to Kindiki an appointee

National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichungwa. [Anne Atieno, Standard]

The proxy wars between President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua took a new twist after a group of 48 MPs from Mt Kenya West and senators declared their support for interior cabinet minister, as their kingpin.

The development came a few days after another group of 11 lawmakers from Meru, Tharaka Nithi and Embu declared their support for KIndiki and disowned Gachagua.

In what has been interpreted as a larger scheme in the fight between President Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua, the Mt Kenya East leaders claimed there was a need for a strong linkage between Mt Kenya East and the Executive to fast-track their region's priorities.

“Through collaboration and constant dialogue, we are confident that Mount Kenya East will progressively secure a stronger recognition in the national agenda," they said in a statement read by Mbeere MP Geoffrey Ruku

Yesterday the 48-member caucus led by the National Assembly Majority leader, while naming Kindiki as their leader claimed their efforts to consolidate the developmental needs had been frustrated by the ‘lack of a focal point of reference around whom we can channel the interests and priorities of our people to the Government for actualization.

 “Instead, Mt. Kenya Region has suffered high octane politics around fathom unity to support individual and personal ambition rather than the articulation, pursuit and lobbying of the interests of our constituents,” the leaders said.

They added, “Our attempts to call the region to the orderly prioritization of the developmental needs of the people has been frustrated by condescending threats of dire political consequences unless we support certain personal interests and ambitions. Yet time is of the essence given that we are already under three years to the end of the first term of this Administration.”

The MPs seemed to ‘impeach’ Gachagua after transferring the roles assigned to the Office of the Deputy President via executive order number 1 to Kindiki, especially the duties to cater for reforms in the Agriculture sub-sector.

“As we continue with superiority contests and bickering, the people we represent expect us to aggregate and lobby for the prioritization of key projects to ensure the actualization of the promises in our manifesto on Guaranteed Minimum Returns (GMR) for our food and cash crops including; coffee, tea, potatoes, macadamia, better prices for milk and poultry products, reduction of the cost of animal feeds, and advancement of our business, commercial and enterprise interests and other outstanding manifesto commitments,” they said.

However, as the MPs were making the pronouncements, Gachagua’s allies were missing in action.  Some other 13 MPs were listed as ‘absentee with apology’.

The MPs move however appeared to donate their power to the Cabinet Secretary who is an appointee of the President and whose mandate squarely lies under the Executive while the legislators are under the Legislative arm of government which is discharged with making of laws.

Gachagua’s allies have wondered how Ichungwa, who is the leader of government business in the National Assembly has donated his powers to an appointee of the executive. 

According to Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru alia Major Donk, the MPs’ move exposed them as confused leaders who did not know their mandate.

“We are elected by the people to make laws; a single MP is more powerful than any of the State’s appointee. Do they want to claim that they cannot present a bill that seeks to bring development or can’t lobby a development without the input of Kindiki? Do they also want Kindiki to abandon his role as Interior CS to also deal with agriculture and roads in Mt Kenya?” posed Gathiru.

He said such a script was used during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration when then Interior CS Fred Matiangi was picked to ‘replace’ Ruto in his functions but  ‘the strategy backfired and worked for the deputy president. ’

Gatanga MP Edward Muriu who was Gachagua’s harsh critic turned defender dismissed Ichungwa claiming no one had sent them to look for a kingpin. He said the history of Mt Kenya region was that ‘leaders follow their electorate and not vice versa’.

“I was invited to the meeting on Wednesday night but I decided that I would not sell my consciousness. They had promised us money but I have plenty of money. We should not interfere with Ruto and Gachagua fights but we should focus on developments,” Muriu, UDA’s Secretary to Legal Affairs.

 On his part, Naivasha MP Jane Kihara claimed there was an effort to split Mt Kenya region in bid to cut into size the Deputy President and cautioned the leaders ‘who were being used to advance the narrative.’

“This region is only politically safe when it stays united, ODM entered government only because of its number,” she said.

Kigumo MP James Munyoro was unimpressed by the sibling rivalry and said, “We have reached a point where certain discussions have been taken too far. It is untenable to claim loyalty to this government while simultaneously contributing to its potential destabilization."