Leaders from the Mount Kenya region have asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to consider dropping Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri from the Cabinet in his second term.
Speaking on behalf of the leaders, Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina has expressed strong opposition to the Devolution CS explaining that the leaders do not trust him.
The caustic Senator hit out at Kiunjuri accusing him of sabotaging Jubilee party candidates during the recently concluded General Election.
"I am speaking on behalf of Mt Kenya political leadership and I am sure the people of Laikipia share our concerns.
[caption caption="Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina"]
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"We no longer trust and have lost confidence in CS Kiunjuri because of many reasons among them schemes to sabotage Jubilee candidates in our area and many other things. He cannot and does not represent our region," Mr Maina lashed out.
Acknowledging that the President has the final word, the Senator advised that President Kenyatta should make appointments that will unite the region.
"As political leaders from this area, we believe in President Kenyatta’s wisdom. We have no doubt that in making his appointments, he will go for people who will unite this region as opposed to those who have created divisions," he stated.
The frosty relations between Kiunjuri and the Mt Kenya leaders played out during the funeral arrangements for the former Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru.
Nyeri leaders rejected the chairmanship of the Devolution CS for the funeral committee and instead chose to have ICT CS Joe Mucheru to head the committee.
"Kiunjuri is a difficult choice because as you know, the President had asked him to concentrate on the campaigns. But the problem is that he has fallen out with almost every elected political leader in Mt Kenya.
"They have basically rejected him which makes his appointment quite complicated because the thinking is that if he is appointed, he will basically become a baggage because there won’t be harmony between him and political leaders," a source close to the Presidency told Standard.
[caption caption="File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta, DP William Ruto and Devolution CS Mwangi Kiunjuri"]
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