Two Laikipia political leaders have called for tolerance of political diversity in Mt. Kenya region saying it was healthy for democracy to thrive.
The Service Party leader Mwangi Kiunjuri and Laikipia Woman Representative Catherine Waruguru said that the stifling of smaller political parties in the region was not auguring well politically and called for Jubilee party to respect other parties as well.
“Why do you want to tell us that Mt. Kenya region can only speak in one voice by being in the same political party yet in other regions they are putting their political differences aside and uniting for a common good of their region,” quipped Kiunjuri.
Waruguru said that Mt. Kenya region would sit as one and chart the way forward but called on residents of Mt. Kenya region to defend smaller parties formed by residents.
Speaking on Thursday after attending the burial of Charles Gitahi who was chief accountant at the General Service Unit (GSU) headquarters at his home in Kalalu village in Laikipia, they accused the ruling party Jubilee of seeking to wreck other smaller parties in the region.
The TSP leader cited the recent by-elections in Kabuchai, where Ford Kenya’s Majimbo Kalasinga after getting backing from other political parties such as Amani National Congress (ANC) and in Machakos senatorial race where Wiper’s Agnes Kavindu won after endorsement from Maendeleo Chap Chap party and beat Urbanus Ngengele of UDA.
“It is the high time we started recognizing all the leaders that we have in the region, I have said before that whenever Mt. Kenya leaders meet, the whole country would complain that we’re meeting as a region, but when others meet nobody raises eyebrows,” Kiunjuri said.
He added that residents of the region would not allow being dictated on which party or individual to support politically as they were capable of making their own informed decisions.
“We have leaders from Ukambani and Western regions who are elected in different parties and now they are being embraced by Jubilee yet we as leaders from Mt. Kenya are being whipped to join one party. That is very undemocratic,” the TSP leader said.
By Martin Munyi
