Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba has refuted claims made by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah regarding President William Ruto’s consultation with Kiambu County leaders before appointing Dr. Andrew Mwihia Karanja as Agriculture Cabinet Secretary.
Ichung’wah had stated that President Ruto sought input from all Kiambu legislators to recommend a candidate for the Agriculture CS position. However, in a statement released on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, Wamuchomba denied being involved in any such consultation, asserting that she was not asked to provide input on the appointment of the current Agriculture CS.
“The allegations by Majority Leader Ichung’wah that he involved All Mps from Kiambu in selecting the new CS for agriculture to be appointed by the President is not factual,” Wamuchomba’s statement read in part.
Even with this, the Githunguri MP indicated that she is only concerned about what the Agriculture CS will deliver and achieve in his docket including sorting out issues regarding the prices of milk and coffee.
“I was not involved or consulted. I’m not interested either. All I care about is if the one appointed will provide a better return on Coffee, Milk, and tea and improve the yields,” she emphasised.
Her sentiments come after Ichung’wah was recorded saying that all Kiambu lawmakers were involved in appointing CS Mwihia, who replaced Mithika Linturi who was among the former CS who were not retained in the formation of the broad-based government.
“When President Ruto was forming a new cabinet, he called us MPs from Kiambu, he said, go find someone for me and we will give him the job at the Ministry of Agriculture, all of us MPs from Kiambu went to look for Dr. Karanja and we gave him to Ruto and he made him a minister,” Ichung’wah said.
Karungo denies
Earlier, Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa also denied being consulted in picking CS Mwihia. In a statement posted on his X, Karungo made it clear that he would not have fronted CS Mwihia.
“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.
“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 either they made right or wrong choice),” the senator’s statement read in part.
While distancing himself from the said meeting, Karungo maintained that he would have fronted prominent figures from the Mt Kenya region.
