A section of Mt. Kenya leaders have organized a meeting in Limuru on Friday, May 17 to discuss what they say are problems in the Mt. Kenya region that are hurting residents. The meeting dubbed ‘Limuru III’ is a continuation of previous meetings held in the same place, dubbed Limuru I and Limuru II, and will bring together leaders from more than 10 parties. The said leaders, majority being in the oposition, are rattled by continued political divisions and alleged segregation, which they say is deteriorating local economy due to collapse of businesses and massive drop in agricultural crop prices.
Newsday.co.ke understands that the meeting is spearheaded by Azimio La Umoja leaders in the Mt. Kenya region, and that one of its main objectives is to craft ‘a push back’ strategy against the Kenya Kwanza administration over what Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua termed as “punitive taxes against the electorate”. The meeting also seeks to push for the ‘one-man one vote- one-shilling’ revenue allocation formula and crafting a framework to push the President Ruto led administration to lower taxes, among other issues.
The meeting is scheduled to happen at the National Council of Churches (NCCK) owned conference facility in Limuru. A host of pro-government Mt. Kenya leaders have however come out to strongly oppose the meeting and its agendas, the latest being Public Service CS Moses Kuria. CS Kuria who had previously confirmed his attendance, announced late Thursday that he would not be attending the event. Kuria stated that he had not been formally welcomed, and that senior influential figures sponsoring the event have not welcomed his presence.
During an interview with Citizen TV’s Sam Gituku on Thursday night, Kuria recalled that previous Limuru meetings I and II had focused on the benefit of the nation and the Mt. Kenya community’s stance on national issues, rather than on politics. “I thought this was a community meeting, as it was that time. In Limuru I and II, we got people from complete different ends of politics and put them together. It was not about politics, How now you are not welcomed and I am welcomed,” Kuria said.
The Limuru III meeting has been trending for a better part of the week, as it has fuelled political tension in the larger Mt. Kenya region. Many political analysts believe the aanxiety brought about by the planned meeting may be as a result of previous Limuru I and II meetings in 1966 and 2012 respectively, that had far reaching political outcomes that shaped the destiny of Mt. Kenya region and the whole country.
