Chaos mar Uhuru meet with leaders

By Francis Ngige and Patrick Muthuri

Chaos marred Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s meeting with councillors from Nyeri and Laikipia counties.

Aspirants for elective positions were not allowed at the venue of the meeting by the organisers, which prompted their supporters to engage in a shouting match outside the hall at Outspan Hotel in Nyeri, yesterday.

The organisers had a difficult time trying to restrain the aspirants from entering the hall.

The aspirants were infuriated after Mathira MP Ephraim Maina and his Kieni counterpart Nemesyus Warugongo were allowed in the meeting.

Supporters of the aspirants claimed that the presence of the two MPs at the meeting was discriminatory, as they, too, were vying for seats in the March 4 elections.

Shift support

Despite the grumbling, the meeting went on for nearly two hours.

Nyeri County Council Chairman Wachira Ken defected from Mwangi Kiunjuri’s Grand National Union to TNA.

Uhuru told the councillors that his call for a strong and Democratic Party was driven by his belief in national unity and reconciliation.

He reiterated that TNA nominations would be free and fair and there were “no preferred candidates”.

“In the end, it is the people who would decide,” said Uhuru.

The DPM added that divisive politics must not be allowed to drag the country.

He announced plans for a three-day tour of Nyeri and Laikipia counties.

Meanwhile, Alliance Party of Kenya (APK) delegates from Meru, Tharaka Nithi, and Embu counties have threatened to withdraw their support for Uhuru’s presidential bid if he maintains calls to dissolve the bus party.

Speaking at Olive Gardens in Meru, the delegates led by North Imenti MP, Silas Muriuki, who is also the county party chairman, resolved that they will only support the TNA leader on condition APK remains independent.

“It is not automatic that we support Uhuru Kenyatta for president. It will depend on how he handles us as a party, and if he maintains we dissolve APK, as he has been claiming, we shall shift our support to any other candidate who thinks in a democratic manner,” Muriuki said. He maintained the party would field candidates in all elective seats in the General