Kenya Kwanza allies have urged Meru residents to remain firmly behind President William Ruto administration, warning that shifting allegiance to the opposition would deny the region political influence and slow development projects.
The leaders, led by Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Kiprono Ronoh and Trade Principal Secretary Regina Ombam, said the region should consolidate its support for President Ruto and his deputy Kithure Kindiki ahead of the 2027 general election.
They spoke during an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Kenya School of Agriculture at Kamutune in Tigania West over the weekend where they affirmed that the national government was committed to delivering development projects across Meru and the larger Mt Kenya region.
Prof Ronoh cautioned residents against what he described as attempts by opposition leaders to lure the region away from the government, saying such a move would be politically costly.
“Meru people should be careful not to leave the government. Do not be misled by the opposition when you have the Deputy President in office. Abandoning the government means losing not only political influence but also development opportunities. Trust me the opposition has no development agenda for this nation,” he said.
The PS was flanked by the host and Tigania West MP John Mutunga, Tigania East MP Mpuru Aburi, members of the Meru County Assembly and other local leaders.
The team dismissed the opposition, accusing them of pursuing political interests instead of offering practical solutions to the country’s economical challenges.
Dr. Mutunga called on residents to rally behind President Ruto and Kindiki, saying the region stood to benefit greatly from continued partnership with the national government.
The law maker argued that politics should be guided by the interests of wananchi rather than personal loyalties.
“Politics is not about love or wedding. It is about advancing the interests of the people. By supporting the government ensures that development programmes continue reaching our communities,” added Mutunga.
Mutunga at the same time called on residents to ignore leaders from the region who are campaigning for the opposition, insisting that Meru should safeguard the position of the Deputy President by remaining within government ranks.
“There are politicians misleading our people into believing the opposition offers a better future. We are not ready to lose the Deputy President’s position because of empty promises.We shall continue supporting President Ruto and Kindiki for a second term. In 2032,we will support Kindiki for President ” he said.
His Tigania East counterpart, Aburi, criticised former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of fuelling divisions within the Mt Kenya region through tribal politics.
He said leaders from the area should instead focus on unity and development, adding that remaining in government would enable the region to secure more national projects.
The MPs maintained that President Ruto should be given time to complete his development agenda before the country heads to the next general elections.
They cited ongoing infrastructure, agricultural and economic empowerment programmes as evidence that the administration was fulfilling its promises.
On agriculture, Prof Ronoh assured miraa farmers that the government was intensifying efforts to secure additional international markets for the crop while promoting value addition to increase farmers’ earnings.
He said expanding exports and processing of miraa would strengthen the regional economy, where the crop remains a major source of income for thousands of households.
The Agriculture PS also said construction of the Kenya School of Agriculture at Kamutune was progressing well and is expected to be completed by December.
He noted that once operational, the institution will provide technical and practical agricultural training to young people, equipping them with modern farming skills and agribusiness knowledge aimed at creating employment and boosting food production in the area.
The leaders expressed confidence that the project would become a key centre for agricultural innovation in the region while supporting the government’s broader agenda of empowering youth through skills development and expanding opportunities in the agriculture sector.
Edited by John Majau
