Game over! Uhuru Kenyatta endorses Raila Odinga for President

President Uhuru Kenyatta arrives in Sagana, Nyeri County for a meeting with leaders and representatives of special interest groups [Courtesy]

At about 6am yesterday, a sleepy Iruri village roared back to life as thousands of residents trooped to Sagana State Lodge to listen to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s message.

On any other day, one would likely sight a pick-up or lorry transporting horticultural products to Karatina market, but yesterday was different.

There was traffic snarl-up, as motorists tried to secure entry to tents where rows of seats waited. It was here that they would lend the Head of State their ears, as he spoke on what soured the relationship between him and Deputy President William Ruto.

At some point there appeared to be unwelcome guests, allegedly ferried to the venue with the aim of booing the President, to create the impression that he had been rejected by the region.

Police officers were on tight watch, vetting guests arriving for the meeting.

Twice, rowdy youth overwhelmed the police manning various road blocks and had their way. Those that accessed the Sagana State Lodge in time were treated to a heavy breakfast before retreating to their seats.

Top Kikuyu artistes kept the guests entertained, with popular vernacular radio presenters running the session. They included Jose Gatutura, Joyce wa Mama, Musaimo wa Njeri, Peter Kigia, Kamande wa Kioi, Samidoh among others.

In between the entertainment sessions were short video stories beamed on screens highlighting government projects in Mt Kenya region.

The meeting brought together locals from the 10 Mt Kenya regions and diaspora region. The president was clear in his message that he wanted to leave the region in ODM leader Raila Odinga’s hands which he said were safer.

The event had only three speakers. Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, Presidential Delivery Unit Secretary Andrew Wakahiu and the President.

Mr Kagwe’s only mission was to invite the President. The Head of State would then invite Wakahiu to take the region through the Jubilee administration gains.

After the illustrations, Uhuru took over the podium and began deconstructing his deputy.

As the President took on his Deputy, a section of rowdy youth in the back tried heckling, but were quickly immobilised by officers.

It is believed the youth were ferried to the event by a local politician. The President ignored the heckling and skilfully went on with his address, but with a few jabs against local leadership.

“He keeps shouting about Mama Mboga and when I took over, there was no light in this village. Today we have constructed a modern market at Chaka, where Mama Mboga have found shelter,” he said.

The President, who sipped water at two intervals, as he castigated his deputy and his allies in the region, spoke in the local dialect all through, except when he apologised for those watching on live TV, saying it was his people who demanded that he speaks in Kikuyu.

At one point, when he criticised Ruto over corruption, a deejay intercepted his speech and played Peter Kigia’s Umuthi ndauga reke tumanwo kiria uraheaga nyendagiria, which loosely translates to “let us part ways and start selling me what you used to give me for free” in a coined manner to show that the President had decided to completely oppose Ruto’s presidential candidature.

Immediately after Uhuru’s speech, his supporters started chanting “Yote yawezekana bila Ruto (all is possible without Ruto)” even as the President thanked them for attending the meeting in large numbers.