10 CENTRAL KENYA GOVERNORS ISSUE A STERN WARNING

10 county governors drawn from Mt. Kenya region have scoffed at Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kangata’s claims that the Building Bridges Initiative was unpopular in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s political backyard.

In a statement released on Monday, the county chiefs drawn from the Central Region Economic Block are accusing Kangata of mischief given that in their opinion the Murang’a senator is yet to consult the region’s leadership as regards the BBI fortunes.

“We can confirm that at no time did Hon Kangata seek or discuss any of the issues raised with any Governor or key elected leader of the Mt Kenya CEREB region who interact with wananchi at the grassroots on a day to day basis.” They said.

Led by Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia and deputized by his Meru counterpart Kiraitu Murungi insist that the claims should be deemed as personal as they do not reflect the actual situation in Mt Kenya.

“All Governors attest that wananchi are waiting for the published bill. To intimate that the Mt Kenya region is opposed to the document at this stage is not only preposterous but also a serious misrepresentation of facts and reality, and we repeat very premature.” they argued.

Instead, the governors maintain that the BBI process has the support of the majority of the locals citing proposals in the report that they say will greatly benefit the region. According to the group, most of the issues that have remained so pertinent to the region have been adequately addressed in the report and therefore did not understand the basis of Kangata’s claims.

“We assert that BBI captures the CEREB regions interests now and beyond, for example in areas where counties did not get extra MPs wananchi are still positive to BBI because increased resources to counties, to youth, women, PWDs agriculture and cognition of key economic value chains across the country such as livestock sugar potatoes tea coffee infrastructure minerals and natural resources.” The governors reiterated in the statement

They have also taken issue with the manner in which the Murang’a Senator addressed the issue. As a senior Member of Parliament and the Jubilee party, they said Kangata should have followed official government structures and procedures in his address to the President.

“Such a breach of protocol is unacceptable. It raises questions why a senior member of the government leadership in parliament would choose this cheap populist method to address this issue to HE the President whose office is just a few steps away from parliament.” They charged.

They maintain that BBI is a National agenda not a Mt. Kenya issue even as they warned Kangata and any other leader against issuing what they termed as irresponsible statements or utterances that may cause despondency and fear.

Sourced from The Kenyan Herald