A number of Murang’a residents have come out to defend government’s development record in the region.
The residents in a press conference on Saturday said the region has benefited from several roads among other projects compared to other parts of the country.
They were speaking while condemning a section of leaders, especially from the region who are castigating President Uhuru Kenyatta on claims that the government has done little in terms of development for the people of Mount Kenya.
Led by Alex Mbote from Kigumo Sub- county and Joshua Mwangi from Kiharu, the residents said most ministerial positions are given to individuals from Central region and those who feel the government has not done much should liaise with Cabinet Secretaries and lobby for more projects.
Mbote said it was a shame that the President is being bashed by people who should be in frontline to support his programmes.
“We have witnessed construction of roads, connection of water and electricity but some leaders like Kandara MP, Alice Muthoni Wahome, are coming out to dress down the President on what she claims is poor performance of the economy,” added Mbote.
He observed that some leaders are raising political temperatures within the region thus frustrating implementation of development projects.
Murang’a in particular, he said, is one of the counties that has been allocated more funds by the National Government to support establishment of various projects in various economic sectors.
On his part, Mwangi called upon leaders who are not committed to serving the people who elected them to resign.
He cautioned leaders who he said are busy engaging in premature 2022 campaigns, saying such a move will derail development.
“There are a whole two years before the next General Elections but some of our leaders who are trying to frustrate the war on corruption are busy accusing the government of doing nothing,” said Mwangi.
Every leader, he added, should dedicate his or her time to serve the people who elected them, saying come 2022, residents will only vote for those who have served the electorate.
Since Wahome criticised the President for dismal economic growth and limited political space, groups, leaders and members of the public have come out to defend the President and his administration.
Another resident, Magdaline Kamuri asked the Kandara MP to come out and apologize to the President and the people of Murang’a.
She termed it as a show of disrespect for a leader elected by the people of Murang’a to be the one criticizing the President without genuine cause.
The residents asked people from the region to desist from being drawn into dirty politics deliberately orchestrated to divide residents of Mount Kenya region.
By Bernard Munyao