Tangatanga MPs kept out of Sagana meetings

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta. [File, Courtesy]

President Uhuru Kenyatta will today meet MPs and ward representatives from Mt Kenya at Sagana State Lodge before tomorrow’s convention.

The Standard has established that invites were sent to MCAs on Thursday for the meeting set to begin at 9am before MPs are ushered in for their 3pm meeting with the Head of State.

National Assembly deputy Majority Whip Maoka Maore is inviting MPs while MCAs are receiving invitation through their respective Speakers.

MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto have been locked out of the meeting.

Sources said unlike before when the President held a joint meeting for all interested groups, his handlers have opted for different delegations in order to understand the needs of each group.

“This is a follow-up meeting and the President will need to hear from the people on the ground what has been achieved since Sagana II. We have told the leaders to be as candid as possible,” said one of the meeting organisers. He said that during tomorrow’s convention bringing together social and political leaders, Cabinet Secretaries would be tasked with giving a detailed report on what projects have been implemented or are currently on course.

“This will be a game-changer as some people have claimed that the President has done very little for the region yet massive development has been realised. We have a very impressive scorecard,” said a technocrat who hails from the region.

Gatanga MP Nduati Ngugi who whips Murang’a MPs said he received the invitation through a text message from Maore. Mt Kenya region County Assemblies Forum representative Charles Ng’ang’a said the MCAs will meet with the Head of State to discuss the BBI and the fight against corruption in counties among other issues.

“The meeting will discuss among other things, members welfare and independence at county assemblies as an important enabling environment in their oversight role and the fight against corruption,” a message sent to MCAs and seen by The Standard read in part.

Discussed strategies

The 3pm meeting of the President and MPs will also look at the development scorecard.

“We will meet with the President for housekeeping before holding the main meeting which will now include other stakeholders such as the opinion leaders and the church leadership,” Ngugi said.

Tangatanga leaders claimed that they have been left out of the Sagana meeting due to their allegiance to the DP. Senate Whip Irungu Kangata alleged that he has not been invited.

Senate Whip Irungu Kangata. [File, Standard]

On Wednesday, the President met with the governors from Mt Kenya and discussed strategies to ensure the success of the BBI.

Counties were mapped as caucuses where each governor will team up with the County Commissioners to oversee the BBI popularisation drive while Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries will coordinate the activities acting as the link between the national and county governments.

On Thursday, Murang’a leadership led by Governor Mwangi wa Iria and the MCAs pledged to support the BBI report. Wa Iria led five out of the seven MPs from Murang’a to back the constitutional amendments after the BBI secretariat representative Kamau Mbugua took them through the document.

After the meeting held at a hotel in Gatanga it was resolved that MCAs and village heads will spearhead the BBI at the ward level while current and former MPs at the constituency level and the governor will link the activities with other levels

Kangata skipped the meeting including the DP’s allies MPs Ndindi Nyoro and Alice Wahome.