Murang’a residents on Saturday shouted off the podium President William
Ruto’s economic adviser Moses Kuria during the burial ceremony of
nominated MCA Mark Gicheru.
Kuria had been invited to the podium to give his remarks and had addressed mourners for minutes before
the crowd grew hostile and started jeering him.
The crowd at first was jovial as he cracked jokes but grew hostile when he ventured into politics.
Kuria told the crowd that he was a political mentee of
veteran politician Kenneth Matiba who hailed from the county.
“The politics I learnt from him is not like the politics we
are witnessing now that has no head or tail,” he said.
Kuria said in 2022, the Mt Kenya communities decided to
back leaders from other regions with over 4 million votes.
He said attempts by some leaders to lobby for their parties
were met with opposition as other political leaders popularised the UDA party.
“When I introduced my party, others ganged against me. We came with Kiunjuri and Kabogo and you laughed at us. Now as you cry, is it not my time to laugh at you?” he asked.
“But we can’t keep facing our past. Those who voted yes or
no have their rights and should not be victimised. Even plans to chase people
from committees, I don’t support that because that’s the democratic rights
we fought for,” Kuria said in reference to Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment.
But Kuria seemed to have hit a raw nerve when he said “who
is that woman who plants and runs away when the harvest is ready? That’s a fool.
A clever woman runs away during planting”.
The statement was met with jeers from mourners after which a
cleric shot up and led a hymn amid protests from Kuria who insisted he had to
finish his address.
But the cleric continued singing as the jeers grew louder,
forcing Kuria to leave the podium amid louder jeers.
Minutes earlier, the crowd denied Murang’a governor Irungu Kang’ata a chance to read the President’s speech and Kirinyaga Senator James Murango who
was to read Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s speech was also shouted down.
The crowd, however, allowed Kang’ata to give his condolence
message and eulogised Gicheru as one of best debaters in the county assembly.
“Politics is good but what’s most important in leadership is
not in who did what. I think the country would move forward more if leaders
acted more like Matiba said, talking less and doing more. That is what they’ll
be remembered for. You’ll be remembered by how you improved Kenyans lives.
“If we focused on such things, we would be miles ahead but unfortunately,
we focus on things that Wanjiku doesn’t care for”.
Murang’a senator Joe Nyutu on his part urged UDA leaders to
shun divisive politics and embrace politics of appreciating one another.
“As a UDA leader, I believed in this party but the party has
started isolating some of us. We are happy for the achievements but unhappy
with the abductions and hooded police officers abducting people,” he said.
Nyutu who has recently turned into a staunch supporter of
Gachagua hit out at the President for replacing him immediately after his
impeachment terming it unAfrican.
“It's our tradition that when one dies or is removed from a position,
it takes time to appoint another person. It was sad to see them replace Gachagua
after a week. What’s wrong with us? We should have taken some time to allow
people to heal”.
He also expressed reservation with a section of leaders who attacked church leaders for criticising the government and declining their donations.
“We thank Sudi for contributing Sh500,000 to the bereaved
but he should be told not to insult our clergy like he did.”.
The MCA passed on November 13 after suffering from a pulmonary disease that caused his lungs to fail.
