Ndia MP wants NCIC to take action against CS Duale, MP Barasa

Speaking at Sagana Secondary School in Ndia, Kirinyaga County, Kariuki also known as GK, said leaders should not be allowed to insult communities.

The MP called on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to act, and urged Deputy President Kithure Kindiki not to allow such remarks to continue.

"I want to ask our leaders, especially those in the Executive, including the Deputy President. When you hear a member, even a member of Cabinet, speaking words that demean this community or any other community, he should be warned and told to stop that behaviour," Kariuki said.

"Those people you hear saying Mt Kenya people are this and that, those people have benefited a lot from the effort that Mt Kenya people put in to form this government. This government was formed by Kenyans, and Mt Kenya people contributed a great deal," he added.

Kariuki said it is Mt Kenya people who helped President William Ruto get votes in 2022 and President Ruto himself has never insulted the community.

"I want to remind you that it is Mt Kenya people who helped President William Ruto get votes. Isn't it you who helped the President get votes? And if the President himself has not condemned you, why is a person in a big office trying to condemn you? And that person is not even running for President. It is the President who is running, and he has not said anything to hurt Mt Kenya people. That person should stop, and next time I will mention him by name," he said.

The MP, who is the Chairman of the Transport Committee in the National Assembly, said he is ready to pay what Mt Kenya people have allegedly eaten so that they are not demeaned by people who are taking it individually.

"If Mt Kenya people have eaten someone's camel, I will pay for that camel. If there is anywhere that Mt Kenya people have eaten your camel, I will pay you. But leave Mt Kenya people alone, leave the people of Mt Kenya to do their work, support the government and plan for their today and tomorrow the way they planned in 2022," he added.

The lawmaker said he delivered 52,000 votes from Ndia Constituency, which is not among the biggest constituencies, while some leaders now insulting the community did not even bring 10,000 votes.

"You see a person who brought less than ten thousand votes. I came from this Ndia Constituency; it is not one of the biggest, but I contributed fifty-two thousand votes. And I am not bragging; there are others like in Ruiru who brought almost two hundred thousand votes, others brought over a hundred thousand, and they don't have the authority you have. So when we talk, let us measure our pride, let us weigh our words and stop malice," he said.

On employment, Kariuki told off Kimilili MP Didimus Barasa over remarks that people from Mt Kenya should not get jobs in Western Kenya, saying Kenya needs meritocracy and not tribalism.

"I hear someone saying when a job application comes, first we check if it is from this tribe. That should not be looked at that way. Our country, Kenya, what we want is meritocracy. When you go for an interview, we look at your qualifications. Whether you are Luo, Kisii, Meru or Kikuyu, what matters is your qualification, your experience and your capacity to do that job. Not which tribe you come from, not which village you come from, and not who you know," he said.

"Because some jobs are not done well because someone was given the job because he is from a certain community. And that will not help our country. So I ask those with such talk to stop," he added.

On education, Kariuki claimed he has issued Ksh.17 million from his own pocket this third term to enable all day secondary schools in Ndia to learn without paying fees, so that no child is sent home while others are learning.

He claimed that in the second term he gave Ksh.13 million from his own pocket for the same program, adding that education is the best inheritance for children.