Will Njuri Ncheke leaders’ unity determine Meru politics? – Weekly Citizen

The fight for the over one million votes in the greater Meru region in the 2022 polls has taken a new twist after Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi(Pictured above), his Tharaka Nithi counterpart Muthomi Njuki, and Industry cabinet secretary Peter Munya, hammered a unity pact.
The three leaders’ unity was brokered by the influential Meru Council of Elders, Njuri Ncheke.
Speaking at Chiru Shrine during a unity meeting where new Njuri Ncheke officials were installed, the three leaders vowed to unite to push the region’s development agenda and political interests.

Muthomi Njuki

Prior to the unveiling of the Building Bridges Initiative report by Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga at the Bomas of Kenya, Murungi had hinted at their unity when he said efforts were underway to ensure all leaders in the greater Meru pulled in the same direction and spoke the same language, in order to make a unanimous and informed decision on the report for the best interests of Meru residents.
Kiraitu revealed that he was working closely with the county senator Mithika Linturi, all MPs and MCAs as well as leaders from the neighbouring Tharaka Nithi county to ensure they speak in one voice.
His statement was resonated by Linturi and Imenti South MP Kathuri Murungi, who both said the county was united and working towards a common goal, to see that Meru people derive maximum benefits from the proposals in the BBI report.
“Seeing the numbers in the just released census results, we will also be seeking to negotiate that with Meru being among the leading populous counties in the region, we need a top leadership position in the country, should the report propose creation of more executive seats,” said Linturi.

CS Munya

The sentiments were supported by former top leadership of the Party of National Unity who recently defected to Kiraitu’s camp, led by lawyer Mugambi Imanyara and former MCA Nturibi Intirikia, among others.
Mid this year, two rival Njuri Ncheke factions led by Paul M’Ithinkia and Linus Kathera entered an out-of-court settlement, bringing an end to a four-year court battle that threatened to destroy the revered council of elder.
Following the unity pact, Kathera took over the chairmanship of the united council of elders.
And the biggest casualty in the Meru leader’s unity is none other than William Ruto.
Both Kiraitu and Njuki were leaning towards the deputy president while Munya is an avowed critic of the country’s second in command.
Reading from the same script, the trio gave a wide berth to the Mt Kenya region leadership meeting in Embu convened by allies of deputy president to discuss the BBI, signaling a new overview in the unfolding national politics.
Kiraitu and Njuki, who were considered allies of Ruto raised eyebrows when they skipped the closed-door meeting that was convened in Embu town to discuss the way forward for the BBI report.
Notably missing in the function were a number of area leaders who have since declared their support for the report, some of whom attended a fundraiser in Kirinyaga presided over by Interior cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i and his principal secretary Karanja Kibicho.

Senator Linturi

Also missing in the Embu meeting were Meru and Tharaka Nithi governors, who also contradicted the attendees’ conclusion that they do not support a referendum as the best way to implement the changes.
Njuki said he supports a referendum, as parliament has openly demonstrated that it cannot be entrusted with such a national responsibility, as the people’s representatives.
“We support a people-driven process because we appreciate that MPs are open to manipulation,” the county boss.
Kiraitu said the way forward regarding the changes can only be decided by the people, after understanding what needs to be changed, as has been proposed in the document.
Munya also rooted for a referendum, saying that the parliament has no powers to amend the law.
“Parliament has no absolute powers to amend the constitution. The national spirit of the 2010 constitution is that reforms must pass through a referendum,” he said.
The group which met at the Mountain Breeze Hotel was largely made up of politicians allied to the deputy president under the Tangatanga tag.
The last time Kiraitu and Munya agreed to resolve their differences was prior to the October 26 2017 repeat presidential election.
The two then vowed to work as a team to ensure Uhuru won with a bigger margin in the fresh election.
They had met and held discussions with the president at State House, Nairobi, where they vowed to go back to Meru with a message of unity and conduct presidential campaigns with a common front.
But after the repeat presidential election, the two leaders started pulling in different directions.
Two months ago, Munya suffered a setback when he lost key allies to Kiraitu.
His 2017 running mate, Peter Kaberia, defected to the Kiraitu’s camp alongside Steve Mwenda, Mugambi Kiroria, former Igembe North MP Ntoitha M’Mithiaru and businessman Kiriinya Nairuti.
They were introduced to the governor by Mugambi Imanyara, the Kenya Industrial Estates board chairman, who had earlier ditched Munya’s camp and declared his support for Kiraitu.
Kiraitu’s political harvest happened in South Imenti during a graduation thanksgiving ceremony of Susan Kimathi, the wife Gideon Kimathi who is chief-of-staff).

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga during the now infamous handshake

Some of Munya’s supporters described the defection as a betrayal while others viewed it as an extension of the handshake between Uhuru and Raila.
“It is important for all leaders to pull in the same direction and avoid divisive politics. I’m blessed to have new friends who have come to join us,” Kiraitu said.
Others who had left the Munya camp for Kiraitu included Tigania East MP Gichunge Kabeabea, and Acquilino Thilange, a longtime ally of Munya from the time he was the Tigania East MP.
But a few months earlier, Linturi, Eala MP Mpuru Aburi and Munya had formed an alliance to counter Kiraitu.
Linturi and Aburi campaigned for Kiraitu in the run-up to the 2017 general election, but they abandoned him and turned into his nemesis.
They also rejected a proposal by Agriculture cabinet secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri and Kiraitu to have a Limuru three meeting to chart the way forward for Mt Kenya politics.
But with Kiraitu, Njuki and Munya reading from the same script, politics in the greater Meru region is bound to take a new t