Trade Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria stood his ground on Sunday, defying the request from his Agriculture counterpart, Mithika Linturi, to postpone an event scheduled to take place in Meru County.
Kuria’s event involves the launch of the County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CIP) in Meru, a region marked by political tensions between Governor Kawira Mwangaza and Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).
In light of the political discord in Mt Kenya County, Mithika Linturi had urged Kuria to delay the event indefinitely. However, Kuria revealed that he had received requests to postpone from Linturi and Meru’s leadership but was resolute in his decision not to delay the CIP launch.
Explaining his refusal to comply with Linturi’s request, Kuria emphasized the urgency of addressing unemployment and poverty affecting the local population.
He expressed that he could not put the CIP vision on hold to allow leaders to resolve their political differences.
The integration parks, such as the CIP, are a collaborative effort between the National and County Governments. On Monday, Kuria is scheduled to be hosted by Governor Kawira Mwangaza, while MCAs have threatened to table a second impeachment motion against her.
The first impeachment motion had accused the governor of exceeding her authority and withholding the ward development fund.
While the grounds for the second impeachment motion have not been disclosed by the MCAs, Governor Mwangaza alleges that influential individuals are orchestrating these moves in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
During his visit to Meru County on Sunday, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua conveyed his intention to steer clear of Meru County politics.
He stated that discussions had taken place with the Governor, Deputy Governor, and other leaders, all of whom agreed that the issues were specific to Meru.
Gachagua also confirmed that President William Ruto would not become involved in Meru County affairs. He suggested that Mithika Linturi and the county leadership should engage with church leaders to find a locally-derived solution to the political disputes in the area.
