Kiharu residents shocked as government officials shun MP Nyoro's event

The new administration block for Kiharu division and which will host several government offices.

Kiharu residents have expressed disappointment with government officials for staying away from an event meant to hand over an administration block for local administrators.

The one storeyed building constructed by Kiharu NGCDF in the Mjini area near Murang’a town will host the Mjini Assistant chief’s office, Mukuyu chief’s office, Kiharu Assistant County Commissioner and the divisional Lands registry.

But none of the concerned officers, nor their representatives were present at the event, save for a representative from the directorate of social services.

This came a day after the MP publicly addressed his ouster from his position as the National Assembly's budget committee chairperson, saying he did not know why he was replaced.

Ali Ali, a resident, expressed disappointment, wondering why state officials were a no-show.

“It’s saddening that even the same people that this project should have been handed over to did not attend,” he said.

“Why is politics being entrenched in a development project? Why not separate the two matters? As residents, we are very disappointed,” Ali added.

He encouraged the MP to continue implementing development projects in the constituency, saying they would remain solidly behind him.

“They are attacking you for your good performance. We are the people who elected you even without campaigns”.

The second-term MP, formerly considered a close ally of President William Ruto, was re-elected without conducting campaigns in 2022 as he was too engaged in the presidential campaigns all over the country.

Sofia Ramadhan, a resident of Mjini settlement, praised the MP for lobbying for streets to be tarmacked, drastically improving the outlook of the area.

“Today, I can walk around with slippers even though it rained heavily in the morning,” she said.

Lawrence Mutuota, on his part, expressed concern that the administrators’ action could be a ripple effect of his ouster from his position as the Budget Committee chairperson.

He said voters elect leaders hoping to get development and that Kiharu residents are content with Nyoro’s performance.

“We have no issue with the administrators because we know the decision was made elsewhere. It must have come from a higher level. Our MP is being targeted for his work, but they already took the seat they gave to him, and he will remain with the one we gave to him."

He said the support the MP has in the constituency is not affiliated with his political stand, and he would be easily re-elected as an independent candidate.

“Even if they take his security aides, we will guard him. As long as they don’t touch the NGCDF, Kiharu will continue moving forward."

Area MCA Charles Karina said Kiharu residents did not vote for Nyoro for him to be the chairperson of the Budget Committee, but the ruling party allowed him to serve in the position because they saw his wit.

He lauded the MP for not answering back to leaders who have been criticizing him and accusing him of disproportionately disbursing resources to his constituency during his tenure as the Budget Committee chairperson.

Karina said Nyoro opened his constituency up for his counterparts to benchmark on the labor-based model of implementing projects that enabled him to cut costs by up to 40 percent.

Tens of MPs have previously visited the constituency where all 112 public primary schools have been tiled and renovated and all day secondary school learners provided with a free lunch, including chapatti every last Friday of the month, while paying subsidised fees of only Sh1,000 per term.