Wamatangi jumps political hurdles fashioned to pin him

A disclosure last week by a Ward Rep in Kiambu that they were summoned by area MPs to a meeting two months after elections and instructed to fight Governor Kimani Wamatangi “without any reason” could explain the political intrigues in the county.

Patrick Ngaruiya said on live TV that in October 2022, MPs invited them to the Windsor Hotel, where they supposedly said “they did not have confidence” in Wamatangi. He also alleged that certain MPs were offering Sh2 million.

“At that time, we (MCAs) were still new to politics and leadership and did not really understand what was going on. A lot of things were said in that meeting. Later, each MP was calling MCAs in their wards, and their goal was to impeach the Governor. They never told us the real reason,” said the Ngecha/Tigoni rep.  

Since the elections, the relationship between Wamatangi and the MPs has been frosty. The Governor also has had a rough time with the State. On April 15, last year, detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, accompanied by armed police officers, raided his residence, damaging his premises.

EACC boss Abdi Mohamed said Wamatangi and eight others were under investigation for alleged graft relating to Sh1.5 billion procurement deals. But the Director of Public Prosecution, Renson Igonga, rejected the file two months later over "evidentiary gaps".

But Wamatangi became a subject of another investigation concerning purported road tenders with the Kenya National Highways Authority and Kenya Rural Roads Authority.

Wamatangi says the case, including a night raid of his business premises near Nyayo Stadium where properties valued at over Sh600 million was destroyed and subsequent withdrawal of part of his security, is an extension of the political persecution.

“There are people who started coming after me right after we took office in 2022. They have tried hard to distract us from our work and make us focus on politics. They have tried everything but failed. They pushed MCAs to start impeachment, made up cases, closed my bank accounts, and recently destroyed my businesses on purpose,” he says.

Assembly Majority Leader Godfrey Mucheke says in 2023, a plot was hatched to have him and the Chief Whip Nelson Munga replaced in a battle that ended up in the courts and UDA tribunal.

"These days, it has gone to a level where an MP is physically punching the Governor during presidential functions. This happened in Limuru in November last year. But as MCAs, over 70 of us made a decision that we will not allow those external forces to rock our boat."

County Assembly Speaker Charles Thiongo last week alerted police to a fresh case of intimidation targeting pro-Wamatangi MCAs after a Thika constituency MCA allegedly led a nighttime raid on his home on January 21.

"I was informed by my spouse and the guard that people in a black Ford Ranger were looking for me. Why invade my personal space where I live with my small children?" 

Governor Wamatangi claims that despite this, he chose reconciliation over confrontation. He reached out to the MCAs, urging them to put aside petty politics and focus on delivering services.

Kiambu has 12 constituency MPs and a Woman Rep, but none support the Governor, with lawmakers championing Thika's Alice Ng'ang'a as their preferred candidate in 2027.

This played out during President William Ruto's visit in Gatundu North in December last year, where MP Elijah Njoroge referred to Wamatangi as "outgoing governor", and Ng'ang'a the "incoming governor".

Wamatangi, who since 2022 has kept out of campaign talks and live media interviews, also claims soon after being elected,  some MPs wanted him to grab 100 acres of land in Thika.

The Sh20 billion land in the Gatuanyaga was allegedly surrendered to the Thika Municipal Council by Del Monte before devolution, but its existence was never notified to the county government during the transition. Del Monte later surrendered another 695 acres as a precondition for renewal of their lease in 2018 during Governor Ferdinand Waititu's tenure.

"The deal was that since I am the Governor, I take 20 acres, while the rest was to be shared among the leaders, which I declined. This marked the beginning of my tribulation; the talk of my impeachment started three weeks after my swearing in," alleges the county chief.

And just as stability seemed within reach, another storm gathered. The MPs launched what became known as the "market wars"; they started launching market projects under the national government, accusing the Governor of opposing development.

Tensions have also flared over what the Governor describes as encroachment on devolved functions, particularly the construction of the markets. The situation escalated in May, 2024 when a resident was fatally shot in Thika during a chaotic market opening in Kamenu Ward. 

As the next year elections near, it remains to be seen how the two sides will navigate the waters.