TRIP ON

Central Kenya councillors who had threatened to boycott Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s visit to Murang’a District now support his visit.

Mr Odinga announced on Monday that he would tour Kigumo on February 28 to open the Gacharage Tea Factory after meeting more than 16 councillors from Kigumo, Maragwa and Kandara constituencies.

The visit had split central Kenya politicians, with those against the function claiming it sought to undermine the local MP and deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta in the province.

A strange twist was added to the saga on Tuesday when Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau claimed he had earlier invited President Kibaki to open the factory only for the PM to announce that he would preside over the function at the invitation of local councillors.

“I had personally put this invitation to the President. I don’t know which politics is being played here,” Mr Kamau stated.

Speaking at the PM’s Treasury Building office after meeting Mr Odinga, the councillors criticised Mr Kamau and asked him to embrace development.

They also declared that they would support Mr Odinga for presidency come 2012 if he contested, a move seen as aimed at curtailing the popularity of Mr Kenyatta in the region.

On Tuesday, Kamukunji MP Simon Mbugua said he would mobilise central Kenya MPs in trooping to the function to show solidarity with Mr Kamau.