Five MPs led by Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara have dismissed as “mere assertions” remarks to the effect that the Meru community was part of the Gikuyu Embu Meru Cultural Association (Gema) April 10, 2012. FILE
By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU ashiundu@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Tuesday, April 10 2012 at 17:03
Posted Tuesday, April 10 2012 at 17:03
Five MPs have dismissed as “mere assertions” remarks to the effect that the Meru community was part of the Gikuyu Embu Meru Cultural Association (Gema).
Addressing a news conference at Parliament buildings Tuesday, Gitobu Imanyara (Imenti Central), Mithika Linturi (Igembe South), Kilemi Mwiria (Tigania West) and Alex Mwiru (Tharaka) accused Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi of binding the Meru community to pacts without consultation.
The four legislators said their views had the backing of Ntoithia M’Mithiaru (Igembe North).
“Some elements of leadership from Mount Kenya region met and purported to issue certain declarations on behalf of the people of the region,” said Mr Imanyara.
“We’re against their intention to climb to political office through tribal ladders.”
The lawmakers said they had organised a retreat in Limuru on April 18 to “denounce” the declaration by Mr Murungi that the Meru community had resolved to back Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta for the presidency in the next elections. Mr Kenyatta is facing charges of crimes against humanity at The Hague over the post election violence.
This declaration was made three weeks ago at a meeting that brought together some Gema leaders in Limuru.
However, the MPs said they’d not discuss the cases against the Ocampo Four pending at the International Criminal Court at The Hague, Netherlands.
“Doing so will be in contempt of court. We do not want to be party to that,” said Mr Imanyara.
The MP said that the Gema resolution to push for the cases to be deferred was “water under the bridge” and an “old story” that they won’t waste time discussing.
“Whatever is happening is a consequence of the decisions that we took in this House,” Mr Imanyara said.
Mr Linturi revealed that the MPs will then convene a separate meeting of 2,000 grassroots leaders to chart the way forward for the community. These meeting of grassroots’ leaders will be held on April 19 a day after the “denunciation” at “Limuru IIb”.
“We have a duty to bring our leaders at the grassroots together,” said Mr Linturi.
Mr Imanyara added: “We’re meeting as people of Tharaka-Nithi and Meru counties. We are not meeting as Merus, because we know that there are people from each of the 42 ethnic communities who live within the two counties and thus they have rights just like the Meru people in these areas”.
He added that all the presidential hopefuls had a right to campaign all over the country regardless of their ethnicity. Binding a community to a candidate, he said, just based on his ethnicity is wrong, Mr Linturi added.
“We want all the presidential hopefuls to come and seek votes. They should do so, by addressing issues and telling us what they’d do to alleviate our problems. They should not seek votes based on the tribe,” said Mr Linturi.
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