President Uhuru’s tour of Central Kenya has this afternoon came face to face with nearly empty town centres as Murang’a residents kept off his tour. Uhuru is facing a massive but silent vote revolt in Central Kenya, a traditional vote-rich bloc that has often propelled Kikuyu politicians to the presidency.
Jubilee campaigns are struggling to find a single campaign issue to sell to the entire Mt. Kenya region, beyond the time-tested anti-Raila tirades.
The cold reception comes a day after former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth and unsuccessful Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Peter Kenneth lambasted President Uhuru’s deputy William Ruto as having choreographed Nairobi Jubilee nominations which saw him rigged out in favour of  Senator Mike Sonko.
Kenneth, seen by Murang’a as heir after Uhuru, saw his dreams shattered by the Ruto Conspiracy in what has been deemed the most discredited Jubilee nominations. In the wake of Kenneth lose, a number of Murang’a billionaires are said to be supporting Uhuru only out of fear of their businesses being targeted, sources tell Kenya Today.
Uhuru is also having a hard time convincing supporters of Murang’a governor Mwangi wa Iria – loved by many as a shining example of devolution’s success in the region – that he (Uhuru) supports Wa Iria, who clinched the Jubilee ticket by defeating Uhuru’s key ally Jamleck Kamau, MP for Kigumo.
But the more urgent issue for Central, as for the rest of the country, is the high cost of living as demonstrated by the continued scarcity of maize flour (Unga); a near-basic commodity across the country. Businesses, mainly owned by small scale retailers, are grinding to a halt; despite such businesses by the mainstay of Mt. Kenya economy.
