RUTO ALLY TEARGASSED AND CHASED AWAY

Police in Tharaka-Nithi County on Saturday morning scuttled a meeting by The Service Party (TSP) leader Mwangi Kiunjuri at Chogoria town, Maara Constituency.

The meeting was attended by Mr Kiunjuri, former Tharaka-Nithi Governor Samuel Ragwa, Peninah Kambanja who is eyeing Woman Representative position and Muthomi Micheni who is aspiring to run for the Chuka/Igambang’ombe parliamentary seat.

The police said the meeting at Kilimo Talii Hotel contravened the Ministry of Health Covid-19 protocols. The officers lobbed teargas canisters as Mr Kiunjuri and Mr Ragwa were addressing journalists.

Politically motivated

Mr Kinjuri condemned the act by the officers and claimed that the officers’ response was politically motivated.

 “The police have lobbed teargas canisters on us despite adhering to the required Covid-19 protocols,” said Mr Kiunjuri.

He claimed that even as his meeting was dispersed, several other meetings were going on in the country. He challenged the government to stop selective justice.

Political intolerance

Mr Ragwa said the attack by police was politically motivated. He claimed that several meetings go on in the county with the full knowledge of the police.  

 “This is political intolerance and it’s high time the government stopped selective application of the law,” said Mr Ragwa.

Residents have also faulted police for throwing teargas canisters into the homesteads that neighbour the hotel. Ms Mary Kageni, a resident, said that her children choked after the officers hit her door with two canisters.

 “It was wrong for the police to throw teargas in our houses, we were not in the meeting,” said Ms Kageni.

Mr Kiunjuri started the membership recruitment exercise on Friday in Marimanti and Gatunga in Tharaka constituency.

He said they are targeting to recruit at least 40,000 members in the county which has 213,154 registered voters according to 2017 Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) records. The former Agriculture CS said that he had registered more than 16,000 members.

Mr Ragwa lauded Mr Kiunjuri for coming up with a transparent and accessible regional political party and called on other politicians from the region to join it.

Scramble for membership
Newly established political parties including the TSP, United Democratic Party (UDA) associated with Deputy President Dr William Ruto and National Ordinary People’s Empowerment Union (NO PEU) associated with EALA legislator Mpuru Aburi are scrambling for membership in Mount Kenya East.

Politicians supporting National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, who was recently made Mount Kenya region spokesperson, have asked him to form a political party. Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi has also hinted at plans to revive his Alliance Party of Kenya ahead of 2022 polls.

Mr Kiunjuri disputed claims by a section of politicians from Mount Kenya East region that they had been taken advantage of by Mount Kenya West since 1963.

He said though Mount Kenya West had produced three presidents with support of Mount Kenya East, the latter has immensely benefited in both appointments and development projects.

He said in the President Uhuru Kenyatta government, Mount Kenya East has produced three Cabinet secretaries, Speaker of the National Assembly, Chief Justice, Chairman Council of Governor among many other top positions.

“It’s a lie to say that Mount Kenya West has been taking for granted the political support by Mount Kenya East since 1963 while the latter has benefited hugely from the unity,” he said.

Supporters of Speaker Muturi from Mount Kenya East have said that time has come for the Mount Kenya West region to back them.

By Nation Africa