Kirinyaga Governor, Anne Waiguru has come out with all barrels blaring against those undermining her leadership and told detractors the governor’s seat was not given to her on a silver plata.
She said she was subjected to a rigorous test by Kirinyaga residents who evaluated her alongside other competitors during a grueling contest for the gubernatorial seat on the August 8, 2017 general elections and added the electorate gave a resounding approval for her leadership.
“It is unfortunate now that some people who have different constitutional mandates have started undermining my leadership instead of sticking to their roles,” she said.
Without making any direct reference to her rivals, Waiguru wondered why a certain leader was moving around dishing out money to the youth instead of putting up an industry with such huge sums of cash for the benefit of the larger county.
“It does not make any sense moving round buying loyalty and political support from the youth with cheap money that cannot even enable them afford a single decent meal,” she said.
Speaking at Kagio town moments after commissioning a Sh.170-million street lighting project on Thursday evening, Waiguru told her critics that her in-tray was overflowing and added she had no time to waste engaging in empty rhetoric.
She told a cheering gathering that her development record within just over a year in office speaks for itself since her style of leadership was purely transformative.
“Let those wishing to seek for this position wait until 2022 when Wanjiku whom I serve will come up with my score card though I have learnt already there are seven people eyeing the seat,” she said.
A week ago there were skirmishes at the Kerugoya Catholic hall between her supporters and the Kirinyaga Women Representative, Wangui Ngirichi’s supporters that led to the cancellation by the area security committee of the event meant for disbursement of cheques to the local women groups.
Ngirichi was reported to have stormed the venue leading to the skirmishes which prompted the Security Committee Chairman, Samson Ojwang to call off the meeting.
The Chief Administrative Secretary for Devolution, Rachel Shebesh was expected to preside over the issuance of the Women Enterprise Fund cheques to the local women groups with Waiguru as the host.
Ngirichi after storming the venue wondered why she had not been put in the picture about the function yet she is in charge of women affairs in the county as their elected representative.
Shebesh and Waiguru who were yet to arrive at the venue had to travel back to Nairobi on learning that the function had been cancelled on security grounds.
The rivalry between Ngirichi and Waiguru came into play during the 2017 general election campaigns.Initially they were one team but later fell apart.
Ngirichi has since declared she will be opposing Waiguru come the 2022 general elections
Political supremacy has always been a common characteristic in the county during public rallies.
By Irungu Mwangi
