Governor Mbarire: Senior Kenya Kwanza officials are undermining me

This, she lamented, is despite the fact that she serves as chairperson of the President William Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA). 

“These officials who are in government are disrespecting me and they should stop,” she said in a fiery speech at Makima Primary School in Mbeere.

"I will not sit back and watch as backroom political deals are made behind my back." 

She revealed that secret night political meetings are being held to strategise on Embu’s political direction, deliberately excluding the county’s elected leadership.

She reminded the officials, who she did not name, that she was elected by the people of Embu and should be respected as such.

"I will not allow anyone, regardless of their position in government, to sabotage or bypass my leadership. Planning political activities for Embu without consulting the elected leaders is totally disrespectful," she asserted. 

She noted that she's facing hostility from her county residents for supporting President Ruto's administration, even as the same government "chooses to oppose her".

"If anyone has suffered because of supporting the government, it is me," she stated.

But despite her frustration, she said, she remains loyal to President Ruto.

Unease within Kenya Kwanza

Her remarks are the clearest signal yet that political temperatures in Kenya Kwanza government are rising ahead of 2027 elections, with battle lines already being drawn in the heart of Mt Kenya politics. 

On Friday, Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki made an impromptu but politically loaded visit to Embu to address rising insecurity in the region. 

Unlike previous visits where local leaders, led by Governor Mbarire, take charge of mobilisation and logistics, Prof Kindiki’s stopover seemed different. Governor Mbarire was not present when the deputy president visited, with some sources close to her saying she was not even aware that the DP was visiting the county. 

Additionally, several members of Embu County's Executive confessed to journalists that they were completely in the dark over the visit. In fact, several of Governor Mbarire’s close allies took to social media on the eve of Prof Kindiki's visit to dismiss reports of his impending stopover as mere speculation, only for him to actually show up.

Curiously, the only elected leader who accompanied Prof Kindiki during the visit was Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi. However, he was not accorded the usual courtesy of addressing the crowd, a rare snub for a sitting senator. 

Governor Mbarire was also a no-show for the national prayer meeting held recently at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. 

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