Uhuru faces challenge in Central as third force emerges

By Job Weru

A series of events in recent weeks indicate the emergence of what could be a third political force in central Kenya to challenge Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

Despite Uhuru having been anointed as the de facto presidential choice of the region, there is growing political unrest by a group of youth and mainstream politicians.

The youth appear to be congregating around the message that central Kenya cannot be trapped

Safina Party leader Paul Muite and youth against tribal groupings argue with police officers after they were barred from holding a meeting in Limuru. [Photo: Collins Kweyu /Standard]

in ethnic and political silos and must allow competition for the top seat.

The first challenge to Uhuru’s perceived dominance cropped up at the infamous Limuru II conference, where a near-scuffle occurred after former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga was barred from addressing participants.

Members of the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru (Gema) communities, who endorsed Uhuru for the top seat, attended the meeting that ignited wild condemnation from sections of the communities, especially Meru and Embu.

So far, Meru leaders led by MPs, Gitobu Imanyara, Kilemi Mwiria, Mithika Linturi, and the latest entrant, Mburi Muiru, and Ntoitha Mithiaru have distanced themselves from the Limuru II Gema declaration.

They also accused their Imenti South counterpart, Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi, of pushing the Meru into political deals.

Selfish gains

Barely a day after the initial conference, Imanyara and his team trashed deliberations reached at the initial conference and accused Murungi and Bishop Lawi Imathiu of selling out their community for selfish gains.

He said the declaration reached at the meeting undermined democracy and violated the Constitution.

A few days ago, police dispersed another meeting, dubbed Limuru IIB, and which appeared to have been organised to counter deliberations of the first conference.

The meeting was led by among others, Mr Njenga, presidential aspirant and Safina Party leader Paul Muite, and retired Archbishop Reverend David Gitari.

Njenga was at the Limuru II meeting, but there was a scuffle after one of the conveners, Gema leader Bishop Imathiu, denied him a chance to address the participants.

Njenga was also instrumental in organising the second meeting (Limuru IIB), which failed after police engaged participants in running battles.

The involvement of the police in battling participants attracted hue and cry from a section of leaders – also from the region– among them Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua.

On Tuesday, Karua, while addressing supporters in Eastleigh in Nairobi, termed the action unfair, and called on the Government to uphold the rule of the law.

"We are all citizens and we deserve to be treated equally. The Government is discriminating against its citizens by allowing one group to hold a meeting in Limuru, but banning the other," she said.

Karua is also on the list of leaders from central Kenya who have declared interest in succeeding President Kibaki. During the meeting with women leaders, Karua insisted she was fit to take over leadership, and urged women to contest for various political positions.

In addition, there is the political party headache for Uhuru after he ditched Kanu for a yet-to-be identified party. The Alliance Party of Kenya (formerly PNU Alliance) that has been wooing him picked its registration certificate yesterday.

Other parties who want Uhuru on their presidential ticket include GNU and the Democratic Party.

PNU Alliance officially changed its name to Alliance Party of Kenya amid talk Uhuru Kenyatta would seek the presidency on its ticket.

Tribal groupings

Last week, when in Murang’a County, Karua cautioned Kenyans against being lured to join tribal groupings by individuals out for political mileage ahead of the General Election.

Speaking in reference to Gema and Kamatusa tribal formations, she warned leaders against promoting tribal issues. She asked them to focus instead on nurturing peace and development.

"Kenyans must stand as nationalists and not be thrown into tribal cocoons by those out to use them," said the Narc Kenya leader.

Igembe North MP Mithika Linturi attributed the change of political scenario in central Kenya to alienation.

"Kenyans have realised that there are only two tribes in Kenya – the rich and the poor. "The poor tribe is now rising. The rich tribe is only interested in ascending to power, while the cost of living is plummeting with nobody to care about them," said Linturi.

On his part, Njenga said Kenyans want to elect leaders who associate with them and who are ready to reject the ‘old school’ band of leaders who, he said, are only interested in protecting their wealth.

Speaking to The Standard by telephone yesterday, immediately after his release from custody, Njenga also noted that the youth want leadership after many years of neglect.

He said youth also wanted to associate with people they live with, and who understand their problems.

"The old men want to remain Gema leaders forever and they have forgotten that they should pass the baton to the youth. It is the high time that they included the youth in such groups," he said.

He cautioned that revival of Gema and other tribal groupings for political purposes was detrimental to national cohesion, warning that the 2008 post-election violence occurred due to such tribal segregation.

"The youth want a united Kenya for all Kenyans, but it is unfortunate that whenever Kenyan youth meet to deliberate on various development issues, the leaders think that they have some ulterior motives," said Njenga.

Asked about the scuffle at Limuru 1 meeting, Njenga said the leaders intended to bar the youth from advancing their agenda.