Peter Kenneth, Martha Karua Lead Mt. Kenya Leaders in Demanding Respect for President Uhuru

Former presidential candidates Peter Kenneth and Martha Karua have led a section of leaders drawn from Mt. Kenya region in demanding respect for President Kenyatta.

Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi on Wednesday, the leaders have defended Kenyatta against accusations of starving his political stronghold of development.

The over 20 elected and former leaders have asked those aggrieved by the President to use right channels to voice their complaints instead of insulting him.

“We demand respect for the President as the Head of State, Head of Government and symbol of national unity; individuals with divergent views must criticize or correct the President with decorum and respect,” Kenneth says.

On her part, Karua has described those accusing President Uhuru of neglecting Central Kenya as selfish and unpatriotic.

“The President and former Prime Minister set aside their political differences to drive the Building Bridges Initiative and it is therefore unpatriotic of some politicians to start sabotaging this initiative for their personal political gain,” Karua states.

The leaders were responding to Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and his Bahati counterpart Kimani Ngunjiri, who have accused President Uhuru of leaving Central Kenya out of Jubilee government's development agenda.

“For Members of Parliament, they have the CDF so before they criticize anybody else, they should first show what they have done on the ground with that money and we are telling them that Mount Kenya region is a very organized society; if anybody thinks they can lash out at the President for their political mileage, they should think twice,” says Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu.

Ms. Karua has also defended the President over ‘washenzi’ remarks, saying they were not directed at Mt. Kenya voters as has been claimed.

“I am not a member of his party, but he is my President and I support him. I have seen people making it look like the washenzi remark was directed to the voters and it is clearly not true; those remarks were meant for those irritating him not the voters and it must be made clear,” says Karua.