Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga on Wednesday, February 5, demanded more respect for county governments over what he termed being snubbed by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki during a previous visit to Nyeri.
While leading a Social Health Authority (SHA) registration drive in Nyeri on Wednesday, February 5, Kahiga said, “Recently I saw that the Deputy President (Kindiki) had toured Nyeri. There are some people who just want to cause trouble for nothing. The Governor’s Office that I occupy is one that is voted for by the people. It is necessary that when such a visitor is coming into the county we are given a notice."
Kindiki had toured Nyeri to inspect the upgrading to bitumen standards of the Endarasha-Watuka road and the launch of the last mile electricity connectivity project under the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) in Kieni.
He went on to add, “We should be told that the Deputy President of Kenya, who was chosen by President Ruto, is coming. They should send the program so that we know where we should come in. Now the situation is that we are in our office, but we are hearing that he (Kindiki) is in Kieni, then he is in Agothi, and we do not know whether to go or not. Imagine a governor going round asking, ‘Have you seen him?’”
Kahiga stressed the need for respecting the offices of elected leaders even at the county level, noting that respect was a two-way street.
"Offices need to give each other proper respect. When they call me for a meeting in Nairobi, don’t you see me going? County and national governments have one duty to Kenyans who are mainly concerned with development,” Kahiga noted.
The governor, a close ally of Rigathi Gachagua, maintained that his county was willing to work with the national government to bring development, but with a caveat.
"We, as a county government, we want to work with you and we want to support you. But we need to draw a line between politics and working for the people. We can politic later,” Kahiga expressed.
The tour by Kindiki was seen as one meant to pave the way for President William Ruto's imminent return to Nyeri and came with gifts: Ksh17 billion worth of road infrastructure and Ksh8.7 billion for the Mt. Kenya region last mile electricity connections.
His visit made him the first among President Ruto's inner circle to set foot in the backyard of Rigathi Gachagua since his impeachment from office and was expected to rouse many feathers.
Kahiga, whose absence raised eyebrows as it went against the normal government protocol. Typically, when a senior ranking figure from the Executive such as the President or Deputy visits a county, the county’s top leadership brass led by the governor is expected to be present.
During his visit, Kindiki took on his predecessor in his Nyeri backyard, asking him to stop politicking for the sake of development in the Mt. Kenya region.
