President Uhuru Kenyatta has been considered a man under siege after his home backyard of Mt. Kenya region allegedly turned their backs on him following his March 2018 handshake with Opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The region had threatened to neglect their kingmaker Uhuru Kenyatta in favour of his deputy William Ruto after Uhuru started showing signs of betrayals towards Ruto who according to most locals helped Uhuru greatly to clinch the presidency seat in 2017 general elections.
One group of Jubilee party MPs dubbed Kieleweke which is led by Nyeri town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu and former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda has been advocating for the handshake in the process telling off William Ruto and his brigade over his ambitions to succeed Uhuru in 2022.
The escalating verbal wars between Uhuru’s affiliated group Kieleweke and Ruto’s Tanga-tanga team had threatened to divide the region into two with William Ruto being rumoured to be taking over the Central region control from President Uhuru Kenyatta.
And in a neutralizing mission, President Uhuru Kenyatta has shifted his focus and is keen on assuaging his Central Kenya backyard following rising disquiet among supporters who feel abandoned.
Following National Intelligence Service advice of a pending rejection, President Uhuru earlier on postponed his Mt Kenya tour planned for early May with his newly found brother ODM boss Raila Odinga.
Their joint debut tour was intended to popularize their March 2018 handshake among the central residents.
According to reports, two weeks ago, NIS warned the head of state against touring the region without first addressing the concerns of the residents who are said to be unhappy about his administration.
Fearing pockets of hostility, the President and his handlers put off the tour to allow for consultations to understand the sudden change from affection to antipathy.
The President is said to have ordered Interior PS Karanja Kibicho to lead a form a team of government officials, a few businessmen and politicians from the region to devise a strategy to turn the growing tide in his favour.
The team led by Starehe Mp Charles Jaguar is said to have adviced the president to address a number of issues including Trade concerns. This was the same reason the President held a consultative meeting with a number of Nyamakima Traders earlier last week which led to the release of some containers which had been held at Embakasi Inland container depot.
“It is true we have had issues so bad that any trip by the President may be overshadowed. This is a serious situation that must be addressed,” he said.
He went on, “We have told the President that our people are unhappy and must be listened to. I am happy he has heeded this call and we are seeing some actions. Issues we have agreed on will be rolled out soon.” said Jaguar.
“Traders have been lamenting that their businesses are suffering because of the delays here at the depot. We have agreed that all containers that have not been cleared be released within three weeks so traders can continue their businesses,” Uhuru announced in Embakasi when he visited the inland port.
To further solidify his support base, the President ordered KRA and the Kenya Bureau of Standards not to reinspect goods imported to Kenya after their appointed agents have done so in the countries of origin.
President’s directive that the government settles all pending bills due to suppliers by the end of June was seen as a major win for businesses especially for Mt Kenya traders whose businesses had been grounded due to non-payments.
Nearly three-quarters of the legislatures from the region have already declared their support for Deputy President William Ruto saying the region will never forget those friends who stood with them during their times of need.
Many led by Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichunga and his Bahati counterpart Kimani Ngunjiri have vowed to disrespect Uhuru’s directive if in case the President roots for Raila’s presidency.
Critics observe that the President no longer enjoys the massive support he had when he rode to power in 2013. Today the region’s leaders accuse his administration of abandoning them.
Gatundu South Moses Kuria was the first to let the cat out of the bag during the 2019 new year’s eve when he accused the President of neglecting the region that voted for him overwhelmingly in terms of development at the expense of other regions.
Among other murmurs, the leaders are complaining that since Uhuru took office in 2013, his home turf has not benefited from massive infrastructure projects or incentives to spur economic growth.