“Lazima Tujipange,” - Kirinyaga Women Representative NJERI MAINA tells Mt Kenya residents after RUTO and RAILA ODINGA formed the ‘Mkate Nusu’ Government.

 Saturday, July 27, 2024 - Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has called on the Mt Kenya electorate and leaders to start strategizing after President William Ruto formed a government of national unity with opposition leader Raila Odinga.

On Wednesday, Ruto surprised the country after he nominated four of Raila Odinga's allies to the cabinet.

The four are Hassan Joho, nominated as Mining Cabinet Secretary; Wycliffe Oparanya, nominated for the Cooperatives and MSMEs docket; Opiyo Wandayi, nominated for the Energy and Petroleum docket; and John Mbadi, nominated to the lucrative Treasury docket.

Njeri pointed out that President Ruto's recent decisions, including nominating opposition figures to key government positions, signify a departure from his earlier position against power-sharing with the opposition.

Politics is about interests. There are no permanent enemies, there are no permanent alliances. There is nothing that is cast in stone."

"...the deputy president asserted that ameweka mitego and that Raila will not get into government... the president has also pronounced himself in Mt Kenya that Raila will not get into government and that there will be no nusu mkate. 

"In politics, you can say this today and then tomorrow, depending on the alignments or interests that go about, you say something different. It is the politics of it," said Maina.

She further emphasized the need for Mt. Kenya to "rethink its politics and realignments" by considering all possible scenarios for 2027 and identifying where the region fits into the shifting political landscape.