By Blaise Gitonga
A section of residents from Chuka/Igambang’ombe Constituency are demanding area MP Patrick Munene to honor their dues and pay them for heckling at Governor Muthomi Njuki during President Ruto’s visit to the county last Thursday.
Speaking at a press briefing at Chuka Picnic Grounds today, the hired crowd revealed that they had been mobilized by the Office of the Member of Parliament to jeer and boo at the Governor or any other leader given an opportunity by the President to speak, with a guarantee of receiving KShs 1000 per person after completion of the taunting exercise.
“We received phone calls on Thursday and were informed to go to Kibugua where the President’s meeting was scheduled to happen with clear instructions to heckle at Governor Muthomi Njuki where we were promised KShs 1000 and that is exactly what we did yet the Office of the MP has not honored that pledge. We have nothing against our Governor, we were just paid to humiliate him in front of the President”, Christine Kangai, one of the hired crowds said.
According to them, staff and employees working for MP Patrick Munene could be seen flashing money inside vehicles to the hired crowd after each received KShs 100 as downpayment, with a promise of the remaining amount after successfully completing their task of the day.
“We were given KShs 100 each with a pledge of receiving the rest the following day (Friday) and instructions to shout down anyone other than MP Patrick Munene if we wanted the remaining amount after we were shown money inside vehicles as guarantee of pay by some of his staff. We honored our side of the agreement, let them honor theirs”, said Gitari Munene.
According to Morris Kimathi, efforts to reach the orchestrators of the Thursday pandemonium did not materialize after their calls went unanswered and failed to show up on the agreed day (Friday) to pay the remaining amount.
In Kathwana, residents distanced themselves from the Thursday chaos blaming it on hired goons who had been ferried to the town to heckle at Governor Muthomi Njuki.
“Instead of working with the Governor to request for projects he brought hired crowds to heckle at him at our county headquarters”, Felix Njue, a resident said.
“We thank the President for his visit to the county and especially our headquarters but it was very embarrassing that leaders hired goons from other places to cause chaos. We strongly condemn such actions and we want to assure the Governor that we will continue supporting him to deliver on his promises to the people”, Elikana Murithi said.
On Thursday, a section of the crowd present at President Ruto’s stop overs at Kibugua and Kathwana towns could be heard shouting down Governor Muthomi Njuki with chants engulfing the meetings in a rather marshaled order.
