Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has disissed reports he is angling to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta as the Mt Kenya kingpin.
In an exclusive interview with the Star, Kagwe said it was not only impractical but also against African culture to talk about inheriting the position of a leader who is still in office.
Kagwe is among the political bigwigs who have been touted to succeed President Kenyatta in Central Kenya when he retires in 2022.
The CS has grown in both stature and profile since he was appointed in February to head the powerful Ministry of Health.
His popularity has increased following his smart, humorous, personalised and sometimes emotional briefings on the Covid 19 pandemic.
But Kagwe said he doesn’t want to be drawn into the politics of inheritance at the time he is serving his master and fighting the global pandemic.
“If you look at the Kenyan Constitution, it makes it clear that if you are serving in the Cabinet, then effectively, you are not serving a political party. You are not running for a seat anywhere,” he said.
The CS said that in African culture, one is said to invite a curse for attempting or even considering to succeed a sitting leader [as in Mt Kenya].
“Traditionally, within the African culture, you will not begin to inherit people [people’s roles] while they are there. It just doesn’t work that way within our culture,” he reiterated.
Kagwe is the immediate former Nyeri senator. He ran for the governor’s seat in 2013 but lost to Wahome Gakuru, who died two months in office. His deputy Mutahi Kahiga succeeded him.
Kagwe joined team Uhuru, popularly known as Kieleweke, which supported the ‘handshake’ between the President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM boss Raila Odinga.
Reports indicate that Kagwe was still planning to vie for the governor’s seat in 2022. But he was also said to be considering being the Mt Kenya influencer after building his profile at the Health ministry and handling the Covid-19 pandemic.
The CS brushed off the speculation.
“I don’t know who is saying that [that I want to inherit the President’s influence] because myself, I have not said it,” he said.
Uhuru’s exit in 2022 has triggered a fierce scramble, with leaders fighting to succeed him as the region’s de facto political kingpin.
Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wairia, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, former Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri, his successor Peter Munya and National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi are all said to be fighting to control the region.