NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 17 – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has hit the ground running to consolidate the Mt Kenya voting bloc with a meeting held with notable leaders from Embu County being the latest move.
The Deputy President held a meeting this morning with county leaders, influential grassroots leaders, and clergy in what is shaping as preparations to gain control of the volatile region despite the dissenting voices.
Kindiki is the most senior government official from the Mt Kenya region as the second in command following the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua as the Deputy President.
“Engagement with Embu County leaders and grassroot opinion shapers on the County’s development priorities for revitalization of critical value chains and citizen empowerment programs,” he noted.
Notable leaders who attended the meeting included Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, Senator Alex Mundigi, Geoffrey Ruku (Mbeere North), Pamela Njeru (Embu), Eric Muchangi (Runyejes), Former Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga.
Embu County boasts a total of 334, 302 registered voters, according to the gazetted voter register with Manyatta registering the highest number 106,588 followed by Runyenjes with 95,326. Mbeere South ranks third with 77,264 and Mbeere North has 55,124 registered voters.
Mt Kenya has historically voted in one basket, making the region the single largest vote bloc in the country with the precedented political split expected to ruin its perennial tyranny of numbers and diminish its bargain on the national scene.
Barely three months into office, he faces the uphill task of wielding influence of the Mt Kenya region ahead of the next year general election by scuttling the inroads made by Gachagua who has actively been engaging Mt Kenya constituents in his ‘Wamunyoro’ residence.
The Former Deputy President has been stoking rebellion in the Mt Kenya region with a view of wielding control of the region, his next anticipated move being the unveiling of a political party end of this month.
Recently, Kindiki, who hails from the Mt Kenya East region, held a meeting with Meru and Tharaka Nithi leaders in his Karen residence. This was the first political meeting to gain grip on the region.
The move appears calculated to secure the grip of Mt Kenya East, which has 1.3 million voters, before initiating a robust campaign to gain control of Mt Kenya West, which has 4.6 million voters, a constituent perceived to incline towards Gachagua.
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