Devolution CS Mwangi Kiunjuri. He is positioning himself to be Ruto's running mate in the 2022 election. [Photo: nation. co.ke]Succession politics in Mt Kenya region are in high gear as President Uhuru Kenyatta begins his second and final term.Devolution CS Mwangi Kiunjuri, according to the Star,  appears to be positioning himself to be Ruto’s running mate, which has brought about some resentment by some politicians from Mt Kenya.Kiunjuri served as the Laikipia East MP for two consecutive terms. In 2013, he ran for Laikipia governor on the GNU ticket but lost to Joshua Irungu of TNA. In this year’s election, Uhuru prevailed upon him to shelve his ambitions and help him instead in his administration.However, on Sunday at the Glory Celebration Centre in Nanyuki town, three Mt Kenya legislators said that the DP post will be hotly contested.Ndaragua MP Jeremiah Kioni warned that whoever is given a state job by Uhuru should not assume that he is superior to other leaders saying state officers must respect elected leaders.“They have our support and must deliver to wananchi but should stick to the mandate of ensuring the Jubilee manifesto is implemented,” Kioni said.Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, Laikipia East’s Mohamed Amin and Kioni warned any leader eyeing the number two position to prepare for a tough battle.They said some DP hopefuls have planned to kill the aspirations of up-and-coming politicians.“As Mt Kenya leaders, we have agreed that Ruto will be our presidential flagbearer, but anyone wishing to deputise him must work hard for it. Just like governors, senators, MPs, Woman representatives and MCAs, the DP-to-be will have to be nominated at the ballot,” Kuria said as quoted by the Star.Amin on his part said that the deputy flagbearer post will not go to politicians who campaign on the platform of distributing relief food in the country, an apparent reference to Kiunjuri.“This is not the time to step on elected leaders’ toes to distract them so they fail to deliver on what they promised their residents,” he said.

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