Kiambu MPs Demand Recognition of County as Separate Entity from Mt Kenya Bloc
- On Wednesday, August 6, six Members of Parliament from Kiambu county issued strong demands regarding sharing national resources
- The six MPs, allied to the Kenya Kwanza Alliance administration, explained why Kiambu county should be treated differently from the rest of Mt Kenya region
- Traditionally, Mt Kenya counties namely; Nyeri, Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Meru, Embu, and Tharaka Nithi have been speaking as one voice on matters of development
Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Kiambu - Mt Kenya politics is expected to take an interesting turn ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Source: Facebook
Amid the push for an equitable share of national resources, Kiambu county legislators are not demanding autonomy from the larger Mt Kenya region.
Why Kiambu MPs want separation from Mt Kenya bloc
During a public forum in Karatu village on Wednesday, August 6, the lawmakers argued that such a move would grant the county access to an enhanced share of national resources.
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Gatundu North MP Elijah Njoroge Kururia said Kiambu county should be separated from its sister counties, Nyeri, Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Meru, and Embu, because it is incredibly populated.
“We have about 1.5 million votes, equal to the votes of the other four counties combined. We don’t want the president to be saying he has been to Kiambu when he visits Mt Kenya,” Kururia argued.
According to Kururia, Kiambu should be assigned Cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries and development funds independently.
“Kiambu we are a stand-alone region, we want our own development, plans, our ministers, PSs and our own money,” he added.
Who supports separation of Kiambu from Mt Kenya bloc?
Kiambu woman representative Anna Wamuratha said the county is now a cosmopolitan area just like Nairobi; hence, the need to accord it special status.
“Kiambu is cosmopolitan just like Nairobi, a lot of people have moved to stay here. For instance, in Ruiru, we have eight wards, that’s equivalent to like five counties elsewhere. Even Kiambu is equivalent to, like, six counties and after Nairobi, we have the most votes,” Wamuratha said.
On his part, Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe said future policies must reflect population-driven demands and the pressures of urban development.
The UDA lawmaker pointed out that many people working in Nairobi have settled in Kiambu, thus increasing pressure on the limited resources, such as water and electricity.
Other lawmakers backing the push include Kabete MP Githua Wamacukuru, Alice Ng'ang'a, and Njunguna Kawanjiku (Kiambaa).
Source: Facebook
Why did Anne Waiguru criticise Gachagua?
In other news, Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru took a swipe at former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.
In a statement on Monday, May 20, 2024, Waiguru took issue with Gachagua's push for a one-man, one-vote, one-shilling revenue-sharing formula.
The former deputy president had questioned why he was being criticised for fighting for the populous region's interests.
However, the Kirinyaga governor accused Gachagua of pushing his personal interests while hiding behind the issues affecting the Mt Kenya region.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
