Row over Tharaka Nithi headquarters intensifies

Residents of Tharaka Nithi County have announced plans to hold peaceful demonstrations every Wednesday until the plan to shift the county headquarters from Kathwana to Chuka are abandoned.

Speaking during a public baraza in Kathwana Town on Saturday, December 3, to discuss the issue that threatens to distabilise the county, Governor Samuel Ragwa accused some leaders among them Senate Majority Leader, Kithure Kindiki, of pushing for shifting of the county headquarters.

Ragwa said Kathwana is the gazetted county headquarters and any plans to move it to Chuka will be opposed by all means.

“The county has been lagging behind in development since all projects have been taken to Chuka leaving behind Kathwana which has no headquarter status due to lack of essential services and national government offices,” he said.

He noted that the residents have petitioned the president to come and clean over the controversy surrounding the headquarters which has led to tension among the communities living in the county.

Ragwa threatened to mobilise the electorate so as to push the President to intervene and have the issue settled.

He accused Senator Kindiki, who is also the leader of Jubilee campaign team in Tharaka Nithi, of creating division among the voters to sabotage his (Ragwa’s) development agenda.

Writing by Diing Magot