Purity Ngirici and Ann Waiguru
A fresh war of words has erupted in Kirinyaga county pitting Governor Anne Waiguru against woman representative Purity Ngirici.
Last week, the governor blamed the health crisis in the county on sabotage by senior medical officials she claimed were bribed by Ngirici to spoil her name. She threatened stern disciplinary action against the medics.
Waiguru said six senior health officers at Kerugoya County Referral Hospital in conjunction with his political enemies paralysed health operations at the facility to portray her government as inefficient.
The governor added that the report recommends how they can improve the status of the hospital and it also calls for disciplinary action against officers who colluded to paralyse operations at the hospital.
Waiguru denied that the crisis at Kerugoya hospital was caused by the sacking of 436 casual workers by her government.
She said a chief executive officer will be hired to oversee the smooth operations of the sector to end the suffering of patients.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union had threatened to withdraw doctors from the Kerugoya Referral Hospital due to the facility’s deplorable state.
Gor Goody, KMPDU Central region branch secretary has joined the fray with Waiguru accusing him of being used by Ngirici.
Since the 2017 general election, Waiguru and Ngirici have had frosty relationship.
Ngirici has been the governor’s fiercest critic and she was among the first politicians who exposed the filth at the hospital.
The relationship between the governor and the woman rep is attributed to Ngirici’s aspiration for the gubernatorial seat in 2022.
The woman rep is a close ally of William Ruto and is said to be eyeing to unseat Waiguru in 2022.
Waiguru equally enjoys close ties with Ruto and there is speculation that she could be picked to deputise Ruto if Mt Kenya agrees to support him in 2022.
Others who will go for the gubernatorial seat include Charles Kibiru, the Kirinyaga senator.
In the 2017 general election, Kibiru won the senatorial seat as an independent candidate.
Peter Ndambiri, the Kirinyaga deputy governor is also said to be eyeing to unseat her boss in the 2022 polls.
Others include Martha Karua. The former Gichugu MP unsuccessfully vied for the Kirinyaga governor seat in the 2017 general election.
