Sunday, June 24, 2012

Will Imanyara be Raila’s running mate?


Will Imanyara be Raila’s running mate?

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Mr Imanyara (right) has been elusive on whether he expects to be named Raila’s running mate. He says his motivation is a desire to break with the past.
Photo/FILE Mr Imanyara (right) has been elusive on whether he expects to be named Raila’s running mate. He says his motivation is a desire to break with the past. 
By CHARLES WANYORO charlwanyoro@yahoo.co.uk
Posted  Saturday, June 23  2012 at  20:48
Political temperatures in the Meru region have risen several degrees after the appointment of Central Imenti MP Gitobu Imanyara as deputy patron of the Friends of Raila (Fora) lobby.
Key leaders, including those allied to the PNU wing of government, have interpreted the move as an indication that the Premier might be looking for a running mate from the region.
Agriculture assistant minister Kareke Mbiuki and Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi, who are key supporters of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, praised Mr Imanyara’s appointment saying it might draw more Merus to support Mr Odinga.
“Meru has never had such a high profile leader. If the PM appoints a running mate from the community, Meru would appreciate the gesture,” Mr Linturi said.
But, speaking to the Sunday Nation on the phone on Saturday, Mr Imanyara was elusive on whether he expected to be named Raila's running mate. He said his motivation was a desire to break with the past.
Mr Mbiuki, who comes from Tharaka-Nithi, said that if Mr Odinga picked Mr Imanyara as a running mate, it would have positive results for the ODM since there is a split among Meru MPs over support for Mr Kenyatta’s The National Alliance and the Alliance Party of Kenya led by Mr Kiraitu Murungi.
“He is being groomed to be Raila Odinga’s running mate. As a community, it will be a big honour but the larger Meru, especially Tharaka-Nithi and Nyambene, are destined to join TNA and whoever the party supports shall be our candidate,” Mr Mbiuki said.
Mr Linturi said times have changed and the Meru are ready to accommodate every presidential aspirant.
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Benefited more
“The PM has toured Meru more times than any other presidential hopeful. The people of Nyambene (Meru North) have benefited more from ODM side of government than we have from the PNU ministers,” he said.
He said that during a leaders’ meeting in Meru town recently, the 1,500 participants held a mock collegial election featuring six presidential hopefuls and Mr Kenyatta got 684 votes and Mr Odinga 414.
“That mock election surprised me, and I got a new picture of Meru. Meru is a fertile ground for vote hunting. Everyone will get something,” Mr Linturi said.
Eastern province ODM coordinator Mpuri Aburi and Fora country director of civic education Ms Halima Mucheke, who comes from Meru County, said Mr Imanyara’s appointment was a move to woo the Imenti side, where Mr Odinga has failed to get significant support.
“I am happy that he has been appointed to the post. I hope the move will pull the entire Meru region together. We now want ODM to penetrate Tharaka-Nithi and other areas,” said Mr Aburi.
Both Mr Mbiuki and Mr Linturi said Mr Odinga would be the biggest beneficiary in the event Mr Kenyatta decides to bow out of the presidential race.
Higher Education assistant minister Kilemi Mwiria, who is seeking the Meru governor’s seat, welcomed Mr Imanyara’s appointment saying it would detribalise Meru politics.
“I see it as important for the opening of political space and demystifying the notion of ethnic political zones which are bad for the country.
“It also means the Prime Minister, like other politicians, considers Meru an important voting bloc that he needs,” Dr Mwiria said.
The Tigania West MP has teamed up with Mr Imanyara, Mr Linturi and Mr Mbiuki to stop Mr Kiraitu Murungi and APK from dominating the region’s politics.
The supremacy contest had, until last week, degenerated into a bitter war of words with Mr Murungi threatening to sue Mr Mbiuki after the Nithi MP allegedly repainted the Tharaka-Nithi APK offices and termed APK “Nkubu bound”.
“He (Mr Murungi) called and told me that he would sue me for alleged vandalism. I said APK was Nkubu-bound, and he was bitter,” Mr Mbiuki told the Sunday Nation.
He said voters from Tharaka constituency had avoided the office launch in Chuka, sending a message that they did not wish to be associated with the party.
None showed up
“When the ‘bus’ came to launch in Tharaka-Nithi, I invited key leaders from Tharaka, but none showed up. They told me they did not want anything to do with the party or Kiraitu.
“They told me to look for another party. Where Tharaka people will go, I will go,” said Mr Mbiuki, who has since started organising TNA events.
Mr Linturi said a majority of MPs were angered by remarks by Mr Murungi that anyone who contests on a party other than APK would fail.
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“I am telling ‘bus’ people to stop blackmailing us ... I feel that the bus is not yet ready to accommodate any passengers. It has no tyres, the engine is faulty and it has no driver. It could cause an accident.”

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