Mukurwe-ini MP John Kaguchia has said he has nothing against leaders who were recently picked from the Mount Kenya region to serve in President Dr William Ruto’s administration.
Kaguchia, a close ally of impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, however says the picked individuals should push for policies that will help improve the lives of ordinary Kenyans.
The vocal lawmaker, who is serving his first term in Parliament also said he has deep respect for Deputy President Professor Kindiki Kithure, who he described as a brilliant leader who can help in actualizing the reforms Rigathi began in the tea, coffee and dairy sectors.
“I have no objection to the appointment into government of any leader from the Mount Kenya region. On the contrary I support such appointments since these people are going to serve the people of this great country. What matters is whether these people will bring any notable difference in the dockets they will serve and whether such changes will make a difference in the lives of Kenyans who are going through tough times,” said Kaguchia during Inooro TV’s Thursday morning talk show.
The MP stated that most Kenyans who voted for the ruling government have no problem with the current leaders but only desire to see more efforts put in place to alleviate the challenges they are going through.
He claims that since the new government took over the reins of power in 2022, much of its pre-election promises remain largely unfulfilled.
He says while Rigathi had embarked on transforming the tea, coffee and dairy sector, much remains to be done to make a complete turn round for the once lucrative sector which he claims is still under threat from cartels.
“Many people who voted for Kenya Kwanza are not angry with this government but only feel let down since their lives have barely changed. Farmers want to get money from their produce and take care of their daily needs and when such returns become elusive, they have a right to question their leaders. Once the government undertakes programs that will transform the lives of the common mwananchi, this apparent anger will just die down,” he added.
His comments come weeks after Dr Ruto picked several key leaders from the Mount Kenya region to serve in various capacities in his administration.
Among those who have been nominated include former Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kahiga (who once served as Health CS in the Jubilee government), former Governors Mwangi wa Iria (Murang’a), William Kabogo (Kiambu), Ndiritu Muriithi (Laikipia) and Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru).
Others include Peter Kenneth who once served as Gatanga MP between 2002 and 2012 before making an unsuccessful stab for the Presidency in 2013.
If approved, Kagwe will head the Agriculture and Livestock Development portfolio while Kabogo and Kinyanjui will be in charge of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy and Investments Trade and Industry dockets respectively.
On development prospects in Nyeri, Kaguchia has called for the Government to spearhead the completion of key projects in the county including Ruring’u stadium and Karemenu and Naromoru dams.
He said the projects were meant to be a game changer in enhancing the social economic situation of Nyeri residents and any delay in their completion would be a bane to the county’s development.
“We had promised residents of Nyeri that Karemenu and Naromoru dams would be done through a Public Private Partnership to enhance agricultural production in the county. Unfortunately, three years down the line nothing has taken place on the ground. The same applies to the 20,000-seater Ruring’u stadium which we had promised to push for completion once we formed the government but sadly nothing has happened to date. These are some of the things we wish to urge the government to push and have completed as they touch the very lives of the people who voted for us,” pointed out Kaguchia.
Both Karemenu and Naromoru dams in Kieni East were to help boost irrigation for some 5,200 hectares of land.
While Karemenu dam was expected to have a water storage capacity of 4 million cubic meters and irrigate about 1,000 hectares, Naromoru dam was expected to hold 10.5 million cubic meters of water capable of irrigating some 2,900 hectares of agricultural land.
Both projects were to cost the taxpayer Sh 13 billion which included piping.
In November 16, 2022 and while on a visit to Kieni, the then Trade CS Moses Kuria (now one of Dr Ruto’s Economic Advisors) had promised that the government would fast-track the construction of the two mega dams to help address perennial drought in the area.
Kuria had promised the work on the two projects would take at least 12 months to complete, making the area self-sufficient in food production.
By Samuel Maina