Two Cabinet Secretaries on Thursday told off political leaders claiming credit for the Government’s development projects while criticizing President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

Interior CS Fred Matiangi and his Agriculture counterpart Peter Munya said it was hypocritical of such leaders to condemn the government while claiming political mileage for development projects it has undertaken. 

“It’s very dishonest for leaders to take credit for all the many projects President Kenyatta has initiated and at the same time accuse the same government of doing nothing. It cannot be a case of both,” Matiangi said. 

Citing examples of many government projects, the CS told off those smearing the President’s track record.

He said: “There is a trend we are witnessing now where some people are criticising the government saying it has done nothing. It is simply baffling! We can as well say we are now issuing licenses for telling lies. Just look around and count the number of completed and ongoing projects,” he said.

Munya urged critics who are still in government to respect the President and allow for incremental development arguing it was impossible to meet every community’s wish list.

He drew parallels with the US, which is still undertaking development projects after three centuries of independence.

“We cannot say that we are where we should be, but let’s learn to give credit where it’s due. We all know that those spreading the campaign that the government has done nothing are bitter and selfish people who have overrun themselves and their shortcuts to power have hit a dead end.”

They spoke at a public baraza in Chiakariga in Tharaka Nithi County during the unveiling of the new Chiakariga Sub-County administration unit.

The leaders who also addressed meetings in Kiriirie SDA church and Tunyai Mixed Day secondary school urged voters to be wary of dishonest politicians cherry-picking on the Government development agenda. 

Matiangi also announced the gazetting of another Sub-County, Muthambi in the same county.

He urged residents to take advantage of the new administration units to access government services.

“What these units mean is that residents can now obtain IDs, birth and death certificates and other important documents easily. When we’re recruiting for police and other agencies, we will now have a recruitment code for Chiakariga for our local sons and daughters.”

They also promised to fast track the completion of pending government-funded projects in the counties. They pledged the government's commitment to ring-fence resources to expand competence-based curriculum (CBC) infrastructure across the country.

As an example of this expansion, they handed over a Sh5 million cheque to Tunyai Mixed Day Secondary School for the construction of a modern laboratory.

Leaders including Governor Muthomi Njuki and Senator Kithure Kindiki had asked the ministers to ensure ongoing projects are completed during President Kenyatta’s tenure.

Also present was Former CAS Lands and Physical Planning Gideon Mung’aro, Deputy Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow, local MPs and political aspirants and other opinion leaders. By Cyrus Ombati, The Star