Kithure Kindiki Hosts Cecily Mbarire Days after She Accused Senior Govt Officials of Frustrating Her
- Deputy President Kithure Kindiki hosted Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire and County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Muriithi at his Karen residence
- Kindiki also met Embu legislators on Tuesday, June 3, to discuss government interventions aimed at safeguarding key agricultural value chains
- The meetings followed claims by Mbarire that high-ranking Nairobi officials were plotting to undermine her leadership through secret night meetings
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
In a flurry of high-level engagements this week, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki met Embu county leaders at his Karen residence in Nairobi.
Source: Facebook
On Wednesday, June 4, the deputy president hosted Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire and County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Muriithi.
The discussions, according to the deputy president, revolved around interventions to protect key agricultural value chains, including tea, coffee, macadamia, and muguuka (Cathus edulis).
"This morning I met Embu governor Cecily Mbarire and the County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Muriithi to discuss the status of national government projects in the area," Kindiki said in a Facebook post.
The meeting came just a day after a separate one with Embu legislators on Tuesday, June 3.
Those present included Senator Alexander Mundigi, Woman Representative Njoki Njeru, MPs Eric Muchangi (Runyenjes), Nebart Muriuki (Mbeere South), and Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, who previously served as MP for Mbeere North.
The two-day series of meetings was largely seen as attempts by Kindiki to restore cohesion within the county’s political leadership and ensure alignment with the national development agenda.
However, they also come hot on the heels of Mbarire’s public claims of political interference from Nairobi.
Did Embu governor decry political sabotage?
Speaking during Madaraka Day celebrations, Mbarire accused certain senior government officials based in Nairobi of orchestrating a campaign to destabilise her leadership.
She alleged that these unnamed individuals were convening secret night meetings within the county, aimed at dividing local leaders and undermining her authority.
Without naming names, the governor expressed her disappointment over what she described as betrayal from within her own political fold.
Mbarire doubles up as the national chairperson of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the ruling party under President William Ruto.
She noted that despite her loyalty to the party, particularly during the arduous 2022 election campaigns, some high-ranking figures appeared keen on diminishing her influence.
Source: Facebook
Are there underlying tensions in UDA?
Her pointed remarks came in the wake of earlier criticism from Kindiki, who had seemingly questioned her leadership capabilities.
During a past public address, Kindiki criticised Mbarire for allegedly failing to prevent Ruto from being heckled during a previous visit to Embu.
The DP suggested that her failure to manage the incident cast doubt on her fitness to continue serving as UDA chair.
These comments stirred fresh speculation about her future in the party, especially after UDA underwent significant restructuring, including the impeachment of former deputy party leader Rigathi Gachagua and a controversial merger with Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC).
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
