Professionals from Mt Kenya East have expressed their concerns with the sacking of senior government officials from their region, and want President William Ruto to reinstate them to their former positions with immediate effect.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The lobbyists, under the banner of Imenti Development Forum (IDF), on Sunday said the region was not happy with how its people have been treated yet they voted for President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in the August 2022 general election.
They took issue with the exit of former Inspector-General Japhet Koome, former Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti, former chairperson of the Firearms Licensing Board Charles Mukindia, Former Government Printer boss Mwenda Njoka, former Women Trust Fund CEO Charles Mwirigi, the immediate former Higher Education Loans Board CEO Charles Ringera and the former CEO, Public Benefits Organisations Board, Mutuma Nkanata.
They also raised concerns with the petition seeking the removal of Chief Justice Martha Koome following the Supreme Court’s decision to ban Senior Counsel Ahmednassir Abdullahi from appearing before the apex court.
This attack, they said, was aimed at Justice Koome yet it is known clearly that the Supreme Court has seven judges.
IDF Chairperson Charles Mbogori said the recent dismissal of Imenti professionals from government had serious consequences for both governance and public trust, adding that the targeted individuals represented a cross-section of the country’s elite civil servants who dedicated decades to the “advancement of national policies and projects.”
“As a result (of these dismissals), we the people of Imenti now view some government agencies as politicised bodies that are more concerned with serving shadowy motives than the public’s interest,” Mr Mbogori said.
He further added that those behind the dismissal of the senior government individuals based on their ethnic group are in violation of both domestic anti-discriminatory laws and international human rights.
“This is unacceptable and must stop. We believe that a fair and impartial civil service is essential to the functioning of any democracy and that these dismissals represent a serious threat to meritocracy, inclusion and equality of opportunity to the Kenyan people,” he said.
While their demands for the reinstatement of persons to senior government positions from their region might be valid, the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008 calls for the promotion of national identity and values, and seeks to eliminate discrimination on ethnic, racial and religious basis and promote national reconciliation and healing.
As such, the President, galvanised by Article 132 of the Constitution has the power to nominate and, with the approval of the National Assembly, appoint, and may dismiss senior government officials from across all parts of the country.
The group also had a bone to pick with President Ruto for his failure to honour the promises he made to them regarding the completion of several key projects in the four sub counties in Meru.
These projects include the construction of Marimba University campus of Meru University, which they say stalled due to failure of the Ministry of Agriculture to transfer the land to the university after the community, through a public participation forum, agreed that the land be transferred from Marimba Farm to Meru University to establish the varsity’s campus.
They also faulted Dr Ruto over the failed establishment of Abogeta Sub County despite issuing a directive on January 27, 2024 ordering the operationalisation of the sub county within a week.
“We are here to accuse the Kenya Kwanza government of discriminating against our sub region. It has failed to revive most of the stalled national projects in Imenti. Whereas some of these projects were commissioned by the previous regime, we know the government operates in perpetuity. We sadly note that even projects promised by the current regime, notably by none other than the President himself, remain unfulfilled promises,” Kairo Magambo, IDF Vice Chair said.
In Central Imenti, the construction of Mariene University has stalled and they want the national government to allocate funds for the same.
The lobby also wants the completion of the Coca-Cola -Kariene-Kaguma Giaki road which has stalled since 2017.
In North Imenti, the lobbyists lamented the stalling of the Kaaga-Gichumene-Kaithe Bypass since 2023 as well as the incompletion of a Sh1 billion sewage plant project whose construction began but halted almost immediately.
For Buuri constituency, the locals have nothing to talk about regarding the Buuri Kiirua Water project that was promised to them by the Head of State during his visit in the area on April 22, 2023.
The project, valued at Sh500 million was intended to increase water supply and extend piping to reach more residents. This is yet to kick off.
Of concern to Buuri residents is the refusal by the government to allow its farmers utilise the Ntimiriti storage facility that was commissioned by the President. It is among the three that were built in the constituency and is at 99 per cent complete but no farmer can access it.
On his part, Brian Mutembei, IDF Secretary, the Imenti region cannot continue being taken for granted yet its people overwhelmingly voted for President Ruto in 2022.
Over the years, Mr Mutembei said, their people have worked hard for the development of the country dating back to the colonial times when their parents lived in concentration camps for their belief in freeing Kenya from colonial rule.
“Now we are feeling marginalised, discriminated against and badly treated by the government of our country. We have had our fair share of developmental projects in the country since independence…what is so different with the Kenya Kwanza government?” he posed.
In the event that they wronged the government of the day, Mr Mutembei said they are ready to make amends and asked President Ruto to tell them where exactly they erred in their ways so that they apologise for the sake of development in their area.
“Also, if the President does not want us in his government, he should tell us so. It is not like the elections are far away, 2027 is just a few years ahead. We will go back to the people and tell them to decide on what next should our demands not be met,” he said.
The group was categorical that it does give a hoot on the supremacy battles currently happening in the Mt Kenya region on who between Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua or Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki is the region’s kingpin…CLICK HERE FOR MORE ARTICLE>>>
