Juja mistakes aside, Mt Kenya may fail Uhuru big time

Linford Mutembei         

Just recently, Jubilee Party secretary general Raphael Tuju and his deputy Joshua Kutuny said the Juja by-election, where their candidate Susan Njeri lost to People’s Empowerment Party’s George Koimburi, is behind us.

I agree. However, the loss, which we all concur could have been avoided had things been done rightly, offers the party and its stakeholders vital and timely lessons — with ample time for correction of mistakes made.

Even then, of most importance is forging of the way forward for those of us who claim to be supporters of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his administration.

We must redeem ourselves and project the best image of the president through good strategies and having not just many but also the right hands on the deck.

The Juja loss, with a proper audit, should help us identify and correct the missteps on who to engage for serious tasks based on their capability and not just availability as it seems to be the case now.

As we correct our political mistakes, we should also target marketing the president’s legacy projects because, while of course we have loyalists who are committed to his course, there are few elements within his circles who are definitely pursuing self-interests at the expense of his reputation, track record and legacy-building mission.

For example, the president has achieved much in the infrastructure sector through mega roads and railway projects, massive reforms are happening in tea, coffee, milk, pyrethrum, dairy, horticulture, miraa and sugar sectors with the possibility of turning around the economy, health and tourism sectors as well as boosting small and medium enterprises.

But those with the duty of branding the government to the public or those with positions that demand them to be in the forefront in popularising the government’s development agenda such as party elected leaders seem to have their lopsided strategies and priorities.

Others are either unable or unwilling to articulate the agenda and achievement of the government they claim to serve and rather opt for political rhetoric, including picking unnecessary wars with the competition, which no longer excite Wanjiku.

The latter works against the mission and agenda of the president and his Handshake partner Raila Odinga — to unite the nation.

The national cohesion project, under the Building Bridges Initiative, is one that will no doubt deliver Uhuru’s legacy.

Truth be told, there leaders in the president camp who are unhappy with the national cohesion agenda because they hoped to reap big from the division and possible election violence in 2022.

They hope political animosity will effectively lock some regions for them since candidates from across the political divide would not visit the regions due to hostilities.

The spirit of unity of purpose is needed dearly in Mt Kenya region and indeed across the country to save the face of the president.

However, some serious reconciliation is needed among aspiring heir of Uhuru in the region. The divisions currently playing out will only serve to deliver shame.

For instance, the noise triggered by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi coronation as Mt Kenya spokesperson on Saturday needs to be silenced soonest possible.

Truth is Muturi joins other leaders hoping to be Mt Kenya kingpin ahead of next year’s elections.

These include Peter Kenneth, Peter Munya, Mwangi Kiunjuri, Mwangi Wa Iria, Anne Waiguru and William Kabogo. 

However, instead of fighting over it, they ought to meet, with the guidance of Uhuru and key players, and reach a consensus on who will selflessly drive and guard the community’s interests and agenda.

The competition they are engaging in, only fuels dangerous political division, and we should be very careful not to end up in the so-called “elusive unity” or find ourselves under a selfish regional leader.  —  The writer is the chairman of Mount Kenya Youth Caucus