The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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On Monday, President William Ruto met with former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, just days after Kiraitu expressed concerns that the region was being sidelined by the government.
Last month, Kiraitu accused President Ruto of neglecting the Meru community in top government appointments since the formation of the broad-based administration.
Photos released by the Presidential Communication Service showed the meeting taking place at State House, Nairobi.
In December, Kiraitu had pointed out that although the Meru community is the fifth-largest ethnic group in Kenya by population, they were being treated unfairly by the government.
In a brief statement, the veteran politician urged Ruto’s Kenyan Kwanza administration to recognize the community’s size and appoint members of the Meru community to key positions.
Kiraitu noted that the Meru people had seemingly disappeared from the political landscape in recent years, prompting him to speak out for their interests.
“We are questioning how Meru has suddenly vanished from Kenya’s political scene. We are the fifth-largest group in terms of votes,” Kiraitu remarked.
The former minister also expressed dissatisfaction with the latest appointments, pointing out that the Meru region had not received any representation, not even in ambassadorial roles.
“If we were excluded from Cabinet positions, why were we also overlooked for ambassadorial appointments? Our people are feeling neglected,” Kiraitu said on Saturday.
He added, “The Meru community is no longer willing to be ignored by this government. We will not be political nomads.”
Kiraitu emphasized that despite their significant contribution to the Kenya Kwanza victory, the Meru community had not seen tangible benefits from the government.
“Meru people deserve to be treated on equal terms with other regions. We have as much right to be part of this nation as any other group,” he concluded.
