Igembe North MP John Paul Mwirigi has publically bragged to become the next political kingpin in Meru County after attacking former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi whom he accused of losing influence and touch with the people.
Speaking at a church gathering in his constituency, Mr Mwirigi said the Igembe region had already produced strong generation of leadership, insisting that the political future of Meru no longer lay with seasoned politicians but with youthful, performance-driven leaders.
“The Igembe region has already given birth to a real man (ndume) who will be the spokesperson of Meru region. Just watch this space. I know Linturi is scared of my political success and he is jealous because he knows that in a short time, I will be the kingpin of this region,” he said.
Mr Mwirigi accused the former CS of attempting to undermine his rising political profile through rhetoric malicious accusations rather than tangible development achievements.
He challenged Mr Linturi to engage him publicly using development scorecards instead of what he termed as propaganda.
“If he believes he has done better, let him come out and face me with development records, not noise or how many billboards he can mount in towns. I am telling him leadership is not about age or body size, but commitment to service delivery,” he added.
The MP further claimed that his relatively young age had made some senior politicians uneasy, saying his effectiveness and growing support among the electorate had rattled his critics.
“He knows I am young and effective and that is why he trembles when he sees me. But I am daring him to face me like a man and challenge me on development,” he noted.
The remarks come amid an escalating war of words between the two leaders, both of whom hail from the Igembe region, in what political observers describe as a supremacy battle for control of Meru’s political direction ahead of 2027 general elections.
Mr Mwirigi also took a firm stance on national politics, dismissing any possibility of abandoning the Kenya Kwanza government for the opposition.
He accused Mr Linturi, who has recently been associated with opposition politics and the National Organising Secretary for Democracy For Citizens Party (DCP) of attempting to drag the region away from government despite the benefits it has receiving.
“We cannot leave the government we fought for and join the opposition simply because someone from this region has chosen that path. I am firmly in government because I can see the many developments being delivered by the Kenya Kwanza administration,,” the law maker lamented.
He praised President William Ruto and his deputy Kithure Kindiki leadership, saying the government was on track in implementing development projects across the country, including in Meru County.
According to Mr Mwirigi, aligning the region with the opposition would amount to selling out the people of Meru and denying them access to development and government resources.
According to residents, the fresh rivalry between the two is expected to shape alliances and political realignments as leaders position themselves for greater political influence in the county.
Edited by John Majau
