CENTRAL Kenya MPs are planning to hijack today’s meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The plan, according to several MPs, is to use the meeting to raise a number of grievances the region’s leaders have held for some time now.
Although the leaders of the Central region caucus were consulting yesterday, their chairman, Dennis Waweru of Dagoretti, told the Star that he was unaware of the hijack plan but will seek an opportunity to present their issues.
“Apart from reporting back on the fight against illicit brews, we have a memorandum which has a wide range of issues which we want to give the President,” said Waweru, the chair of the Central Kenya Caucus.
Among the issues the MPs want the President to address are appointments of the region’s people to key government positions. The leaders have previously complained that the region has been left out in key appointments.
They also want regular meetings with the head of state, in addition to regular visits by the President to the Central region.
State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu yesterday confirmed that the meeting is on as scheduled, with the agenda being to “report back” on the President’s directive.
The MPs have been on a four-day operation in the region to clean up illicit alcohol use in a move that has attracted mixed reactions.
This followed a meeting with the President last week, where he directed them to ensure that the campaign is carried out across the region and report back today.
There is a feeling among the Central Kenya MPs that the President has not been giving them as much audience or time as other areas of the country.
The plan, according to insiders, is to introduce an AOB at the meeting calling on the President to address some of their concerns.
Just over a month ago, the Central Kenya Parliamentary Group, at a retreat in Nyeri, complained that the national government is marginalising the region in distribution of resources.
“The Central Kenya region has over the years been referenced as one of the leading economic blocs that contribute to the national GDP. But it’s seemingly becoming marginalised in the distribution of national resources by the national government,” said Waweru.
There is a plan to have this issue raised with the President, whom some of the MPs also say has failed to visit most parts of the region halfway through his first term.
The MPs also want the President to give his blessings and support for their plans to form a regional economic trade bloc.
“There is a feeling that the President has kept off the affairs of the region as he concentrates on national projects”, an MP who did not wish to be named said.
