Martha Karua’s Limuru III: Unveiling the Power Play in Mt Kenya Politics
Martha Karua, the leader of Narc Kenya, and Jeremiah Kioni, the secretary general of Jubilee, have justified their choice to convene a gathering in Limuru. They aim to address issues in the Mt Kenya region that they believe are negatively impacting the residents.
Disturbed by ongoing political rifts and accusations of segregation, coupled with a declining local economy stemming from business closures and unfavorable agricultural crop prices, leaders from the Mt Kenya region are convening the Limuru III Conference. This gathering aims to unite over 10 political parties.
Next week, the conference date will be revealed, and it will focus on deliberating the political path the mountain intends to pursue.
Ms. Karua states that discussions will cover a range of political issues and the perceived ‘oppression’ of the community by the current government.
“We feel as a community that we need to come together to deliberate on issues affecting us,” she said at Kutus town in Kirinyaga county on Friday during the launch of a drive meant to reconstitute all the Narc Kenya branches across the country.
“The Constitution allows people with common interests to come together. We are not different from other communities and we should join hands to deliberate on our future,” she said.
The conference will address topics such as the significant tax burden, elevated living costs, and the decline in health and education services.
They will also discuss “attempts to attack the Kikuyu culture” by the current regime.
“We shall continue pressing this regime where we feel we are being oppressed on issues about culture, taxation, and politics, among others,” she said.
“All those names that are committed to our alternative dispensation away from this government are involved. All those who feel that we are not in the right direction will congregate on behalf of our future destiny and make a declaration,” Ms Karua told Nation.
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Mr. Kioni mentioned that the organizers plan to convene on March 7 to determine the conference’s schedule.
“It’s true we want to bring all leaders from the region together. We’re targeting politicians and opinion leaders,” he said.
“We can hold the meeting on April 20 if we all agree on the date.”
Asked whether Jubilee party leader and former President Uhuru Kenyatta will attend, Mr Kioni responded:
“Uhuru has retired and is not involved in the organization of the conference. However, every leader from the mountain is free to attend and give opinion.”
He revealed that the main agenda will be the political survival of the region. “We have been invaded as a region and we want to discuss how we should stop the onslaught,” he said.
The former Ndaragwa MP claimed that President William Ruto is determined to ensure that come 2027, no one from the region will have a voice politically, and “this is unacceptable”.
He disclosed that representatives of 17 political parties in the area are set to participate in the gathering.
He stated that the current government is politically suffocating Mt Kenya, and all the counties in the area are experiencing oppression across political, social, cultural, and economic aspects. Therefore, there is a necessity to engage in discussions and devise a way forward.
Kikuyu Council of Elders Chairman Wachira Kiago said “We cannot plan such a discourse without involving Mr Kenyatta, who is the reigning Mt Kenya kingpin.”
He said for such a declaration to have an effect, it must involve “the man who currently holds all the cultural instruments of power”.
The conference known as Limuru II, which united leaders from the Gikuyu, Embu, and Meru communities, took place in March 2012. During this event, Uhuru Kenyatta was entrusted with leadership responsibilities, succeeding the late President Mwai Kibaki.
Martha Karua’s Limuru III: Unveiling the Power Play in Mt Kenya Politics