Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa has clarified that he was not involved in the selection of the current Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Andrew Karanja, despite statements made by Leader of the Majority in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung’wah, on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. In a statement posted on his social media on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, Thang’wa refuted Ichung’wah’s claim that President William Ruto had consulted legislators from the Mt Kenya region to choose Karanja for the position. Thang’wa asserted that he had not been consulted in the process.
“As an MP representing Kiambu County as their Senator, I want to clarify that I was not consulted in the selection of the new cabinet secretary from our county, nor was I invited to participate in that process,” Thang’wa said.
Thang’wah compares ODM CSs
Adding: “It is misleading for the Kikuyu MP to suggest that all Kiambu MPs were involved. If I had been consulted, I would not have proposed the current CS for Agriculture, as I am not familiar with him. (this is not to mean he won’t/can’t perform or that they made the right or wrong choice).”
The senator, a staunch ally of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, indicated that the region had lost a crucial opportunity to field some of its political bigwigs in the recent Ruto’s cabinet nominations.
“While ODM put forward notable names such as Joho, Oparanya, Mbandi, and Wandayi, I could have recommended prominent figures from Kiambu, including Moses Kuria, (William) Kabogo, (Ferdinand) Waititu, (Ndindi) Nyoro, Maara, Waikenda, Jungle, Wakanyi etc,” Thang’wa noted.
Ichung’wah-Gachagua row
Ichung’wah renewed his tiff with Gachagua on Tuesday with the remarks, further challenging the DP’s position that he had successfully quelled the rebellion against him in the Mt Kenya region.
“When President Ruto was appointing his new cabinet, he called us MPs from Kiambu and requested us to go and find someone for the Agriculture CS position,” Ichung’wah said.
This comes after the Kikuyu MP took on Gachagua during the thanksgiving ceremony of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi in Siaya County, where he noted that Mt Kenya region was ungrateful despite having more CSs.
“One thing I’ve learnt from this region; is they have been given only two CSs but they are very grateful. We have more than seven CSs and the deputy president; we should appreciate this and not sabotage and blackmail the president,” Ichung’wah remarked.
Mt Kenya region has seven cabinet secretaries in the new broad-based government. Additionally, the region also has Mercy Wanjau who is the secretary to the cabinet and Gachagua who also sits in the cabinet.
