Laikipia County: The Dry "Oasis of Opportunities"

Introduction to politics in the Treeless Plateau

A diligent  investigation into history leaves a lot to be discerned about Laikipia County. The halcyon days when colonialists grabbed the white highlands of which a part of Laikipia belonged , the days when streams still flowed with heavenly serenity from the summit of the glorious Mt. Kenya and the Aberdares , days when African Jumbos roamed the jungle freely and the days when the maimed party, K.A.NU was a big hit in the Rift Valley.Poverty is part of our history; children went to school barefooted, patients waited outside Nanyuki District Hospital in long ques, farmers toiled so hard but couldn`t get their products to the markets because the roads were all dirt, and of course, the interior places were  inhabited by rural folk constrained by its low literacy level.Big chunks of land belonged to government bureaucrats, ranchers and Private investors who were majorly remnants of colonial inhabitants. This piece of work seeks to evaluate the changes between the old Laikipia and the new Laikipia under the Administration of Joshua Irungu. In it, you will find an analysis of the political, social and economic development as regards to the "Treeless Plateau" as the original inhabitants ,the Maasai called it. 

Politics in the tree-less Plateau

Parseleo Kantai, an investigative jouranlist from London and author of "In the Grip of the Vampire State: Maasai Land Struggles in Kenyan Politics" would agree with me that Laikipia is endowed with resources that cannot be found elsewhere in Kenya.  Laikipia is basically known because of its rich diversity in tourism attractions; a gate way to Mt.Kenya through Nanyuki or Narumoru, the Abedares, the Ark, Mountain Lodge famous for housing the British Royals,the Olpejeta, borana, loisaba wilderness, Mpala and such attractions. Laikipia is also known for its high population of diverse wildlife, both flora and fauna, in the seven forests reserves among them being Mukogodo and Rumuruti. Rasna Walah, author of "Missionaries, Mercenaries and Misfits: an anthology" underpins Laikipia`s richness and refers to it as " a far away place of endless Savannahs and rolling Mountain ranges teeming with wildlife.."

Nanyuki Town is also a major part of Laikipia that cannot be ignored in a quest to establish what is popular in Laikipia that attracts the tourists. This town which is the seat of Government also happens to be the base for Kenya Rifles, Laikipia Airbase and most importantly, the British regiment training unit(BATUK).This makes it the most thriving business town in Laikipia. With land measuring 9462Km sq and a population of 400,000, you would definitely agree with me that Laikipia is indeed a rich County based on the extent of the resources it is endowed with.However, as we shall see, this remains a news paper headline and a statement in the countless speeches made by political elites in Laikipia.

In the book "Illusions of power: Fifty years in Kenya Politics, by G.G.Kariuki, you meet Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki, popularly known as G.G. Kariuki. This autobiography has a rich history to learn from. It teaches you how our leaders who served in Government used that opportunity to enrich themselves, to grab public resources and property and more so, how much they contributed to underdevelopment in the five decades after Independence. This auto biography presents the view of an individual looking for an avenue to exonerate himself from the jeopardy the citizens of Laikipia found themselves in. The author as shown below served as MP between 1966 and 1983 in Laikipia West during the one party system.He lost to Githae Mathenge but later rejoined politics as MP in 2002 through a NARC ticket. He is currently the Senator Laikipia County. I have compiled a few things in a table to help us understand the politics in the treeless plateau. We will look into the programs initiated during the reign of G.G.Kariuki in West and that of Mwangi Kiunjuri because they stand out as longest serving MPs in Laikipia County. 

Laikipia East Membership in Parliament.

Elections	MP	Party	Notes
1966	G. Githui Ndegwa	KANU	One-party system
1969	Tom Gichohi	KANU	One-party system
1974	G. Githui Ndegwa	KANU	One-party system
1979	Charles Ndirangu Muthura	KANU	One-party system
1983	Charles Ndirangu Muthura	KANU	One-party system
1988	Kausai Francis Xavier ole Kaparo	KANU	One-party system
1992	Charles Nderitu Mukora	DP
1997	Festus Mwangi Kiunjuri	DP
2002	Festus Mwangi Kiunjuri	NARC
2007	Festus Mwangi Kiunjuri	PNU

Laikipia West Membership in Parliament  

Elections	MP	Party	Notes
1966	Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki	KANU	One-party system
1969	Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki	KANU	One-party system
1974	Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki	KANU	One-party system
1979	Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki	KANU	One-party system
1983	Joseph Githae Mathenge	KANU	One-party system
1988	Danson Ndumia Murukia	KANU	One-party system
1992	Dixon Kihika Kimani	DP
1997	F. Chege Mbitiru	DP
2002	Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki	NARC
2007	Ndiritu Muriithi	PNU
2013	Wachira Karani	TNA

 At the apex, we will culminate in a detailed analysis of the Devolved Government of Laikipia; Its helm leadership of Wakahora Irungu and Gitonga Kabugi, the bills passed by the assembly and the place of Mwananchi in Laikipia being the largest stakeholder in the Government of the treeless plateau. This is a snapshot of the details in this piece of work ironically titled" The Oasis of Opportunities".