Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has openly voiced her dissatisfaction with Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, criticizing his administration’s presentation during the just-concluded Devolution Conference.
The event, which brought together governors from all 47 counties, was meant to be a stage for showcasing achievements, innovations, and future plans to attract both local and international investors.
However, the decision by Kiambu County to display piglets and chicks as part of its exhibition drew sharp criticism from Wamuchomba, who described it as a “national embarrassment.”
According to her, Kiambu missed a golden opportunity to highlight its economic strength and potential.
She pointed out that while other counties like Murang’a under Governor Irungu Kang’ata demonstrated innovation in areas such as health technology, food security, and digitized services, Kiambu fell behind by limiting its presentation to livestock giveaways.
Wamuchomba emphasized that with the county being the largest economy in Kenya and receiving more than Ksh. 13 billion annually from the national government, alongside an additional Ksh. 6 billion from its own revenue, it was unfortunate that the display failed to reflect the scale of opportunities and industries within the region.
The legislator explained that Kiambu has vast potential in various sectors such as pork, poultry, banana farming, and dairy.
She insisted that what the people of Kiambu need is not token giveaways but well-established industries that can create jobs and transform lives.
In her criticism, she broke down several areas where she believes Governor Wamatangi’s administration has not performed as expected.
One of her concerns was the rising cost of animal feeds, which makes it difficult for farmers to benefit from piglets and chicks given to them.
She wondered why the county could not follow Murang’a’s example of introducing subsidies to cushion farmers.
She also highlighted the lack of proper markets, pointing out that many farmers are left stranded with mature pigs and poultry because there is no reliable place to sell them.
She suggested that the revival of the Uplands Limuru Bacon Factory would provide a much-needed solution.
Another area of failure, according to her, is the lack of progress in setting up an animal feed manufacturing plant that could support the pig and poultry industries.
While the county distributed maize seeds, she argued that this effort was not backed by a long-term plan to support farmers consistently.
She further called on the governor to adopt digital innovations such as those in Murang’a’s health sector and construction approvals, which have increased efficiency and transparency.
Wamuchomba insisted that giving out piglets and chicks cannot be branded as empowerment.
She stressed that true empowerment comes when industries are built, jobs are created, and people have stable incomes.
In her words, when citizens have money in their pockets, they can purchase livestock or any other input they need without relying on county handouts.
Her remarks come at a time when many counties are under close watch as they approach the mid-point of the current devolution cycle.
While some have showcased meaningful projects that could drive long-term growth, others have been accused of falling back into short-term solutions that do little to transform livelihoods.
Wamuchomba concluded that Kiambu deserves better leadership and vision, urging Governor Wamatangi to reconsider his priorities if the county is to maintain its place as an economic leader in the country.
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