Residents from different parts of Chuka-Igambang’ombe have urged Magumoni MCA and Tharaka-Nithi County Assembly Majority Leader Justin Kithinji to seek parliamentary seat during the 2027 polls, saying the constituency needs visionary leadership to accelerate development.

‎The residents said they were looking for a leader who would bring people together, listen to their concerns and spearhead initiatives, aimed at transforming the constituency.

‎Speaking during a meeting at Kithinji’s home, the representatives cited his engagement with residents, support for youth initiatives and experience in county leadership, as some of the reasons they wanted him to consider running for the local parliamentary seat.

‎Representative Justine Rugendo said the constituency needed visionary leadership capable of driving long-term development, while addressing the needs of different groups in the area.

‎Rugendo said education should be among the key priorities, noting that initiatives such as Education Day, which would provide an opportunity to motivate teachers and students, had been overlooked.

‎He said greater attention to education and youth development would help create opportunities for young people and contribute to the transformation of the constituency.

Another representative, Morris Muthomi, applauded Kithinji for supporting youth football tournaments in Magumoni, saying he was the first MCA in the area to initiate such support and had sustained the initiative for nearly 10 years.

‎He said Kithinji’s continued engagement with young people demonstrated his commitment to community development, adding that his election as MP would provide an opportunity to extend such initiatives across the constituency.

The representatives also cited their MCA’s easy accessibility and engagement with residents, saying they wanted to see similar interaction between their parliamentary representative and the wider community.

‎Responding to the calls, Kithinji said he believed everyone needed good advice and urged leaders not to disregard views from ordinary residents.

He said some leaders believed they could not be advised by residents, noting that effective leadership required listening to different views and working with people to address their challenges.

The MCA added that he believed in working with people from different backgrounds to understand their problems with a view to finding long-lasting solutions, saying inclusive leadership was essential in addressing community needs and promoting development.

‎The Majority Leader said he would announce in October the political seat he intends to contest, following the residents’ calls for him to seek the Chuka-Igambang’ombe parliamentary seat.

He acknowledged the residents’ appeal but did not explicitly declare his candidature for the seat during the meeting.

By Christine Ngitori