Stop dreaming of presidency, Waiguru tells Mt Kenya region
Githinji Mwangi
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has told Mt Kenya region leaders to stop dreaming of the presidency after President Uhuru Kenyatta.
She asked them to instead focus on other senior positions in the next government, saying other communities are not ready to back another person from the region in the near future for president after Uhuru.
Waiguru said the only way the region could have a stake in the next government was back the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and negotiate for the creation of more senior slots—Prime Minister and two deputies—in the Executive.
“I have many enemies after telling them it is not possible to produce a president from the two communities which have consistently held the position since independence. We must be very smart by supporting BBI that is seeking to create three more seats,’’ she said.
Speaking during the county State of Address at the Assembly in Kerugoya, Waiguru, who two months ago kicked off a political storm with claims that Mt Kenya could back former Prime minister Raila Odinga for presidency in 2022 and not Deputy President William Ruto, said the BBI would ensure inclusivity in governance.
She conceded that she had raffled political feathers in the region for daring to speak the truth that the next president will come from other communities that have not ruled the country.
Accompanied by her deputy Peter Ndambiri, the governor said only two communities have occupied the presidency since independence and that it is time other communities got an opportunity to produce a president.
She told leaders from Mt Kenya region to start strategising on how they could occupy one of the three big seats after the election.
“Tell me what will happen if we don’t have one of our own in big positions in the government after President Uhuru? We must strategise and come up with amendments which will benefit us,’’ said Waiguru.
The county chief said BBI was created with a specific mandate to come up with more seats so that Mt Kenya region could occupy one of the senior positions after the next General Election.
She urged fellow elected leaders from Mt Kenya region to support BBI and ensure three more seats are created and push for one of their own as a Prime Minister and be able to benefit from the national cake.
Waiguru said she had no apologies to make for supporting BBI, which is a creation of President Uhuru and Opposition leader Raila following the March 9, 2018.
The governor said she was not opposed to Deputy President William Ruto’s quest for the presidency but warned that she would not be forced to back him.
Waiguru accused Ruto’s supporters of fighting her at political meetings and pleaded with the people of Kirinyaga to come to her defence.
“I want to plead with you to come to my defence as many politicians have made it their duty to attack me. I have no objection to anybody running for the presidency but we must be respected,” she said.
In August, Waiguru said Mt Kenya region was open to forming a political alliance with Raila ahead of the 2022 elections.
She said a wind of political change had hit central Kenya throwing open the region’s choice of a presidential candidate in the next General Election.
The governor said the region was open to any form of an alliance that would benefit the people once their political kingpin leaves power.
With President Uhuru Kenyatta exiting the stage in 2022 and there being no clear successor from Central Kenya, presidential aspirants have been courting the region hoping to bag the critical vote.
