Wiper party is secretly scheming to isolate Machakos governor Alfred Mutua ahead of 2017 polls and subsequently end his nascent political career. Sources privy to the boardroom happenings have intimated that it is a matter of time before the governor is shown the door.
Mutua was elected through Kalonzo Musyoka’s party and is considered within Wiper circles as a rebel and traitor on course to destabilise the party allegedly working behind the scenes with Jubilee Alliance in Ukambani politics to cut Kalonzo down to size and undermine his flourishing appeal among the Kamba nation. He is accused of being behind a section of MPs calling for the Wiper leader to exit politics and pave way for the media hungry and former PNU propagandist to take over.
Although the drive to have Kalonzo quit flopped, the group had maligned the former VP in public rallies attended by the governor, opening fresh battles where Kalonzo has vowed to send the rebel MPs to their political dustbin come 2017. Kamba overwhelming voted for Raila Odinga, the ODM leader and Kalonzo as his running mate in last polls but some leaders are now leaning towards Jubilee in what Kalonzo has castigated terming them political ‘hirelings’.
The political turmoil in the region is giving Kalonzo a headache as he tries to galvanise the Kamba vote ahead of 2017 and those close to him accuse Governor Mutua of using public resources from the county to fund MPs with the aim of dividing the community. Leaders on political watch list and whose Kalonzo is keen to send home for antagonising him include Mutua, MP Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town), Vincent Musyoka (Mwala) Regina Ndambuki (Kilome), Joe Mutambu (Mwingi Central), John Munuve (Mwingi North), Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni), Itwiku Mbai (Masinga) and Richard Makenga (Kaiti).
In Machakos county, names of candidates to face Mutua have featured in Wiper circles. The scheme is based on word that Mutua will ditch Wiper to his own party alongside leaders opposed to Kalonzo. The party leader was irked by Mutua’s absence during the last national delegates conference sending signals that he is not singing the same tune with the party leader. The name of Kathiani MP Robert Mbui has featured in a strategic meeting with word that Kalonzo is comfortable with his candidature. He has come out as a loyal lieutenant to the former VP and may upstage Mutua if he gets a strong running mate from lower constituencies. The name of former Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo has also featured with his admirers saying he has qualities to match the governor and can be easily marketed in the eight constituencies. Those pushing him say that it is the only ball in his hand since trying to recapture his parliamentary seat from the incumbent MP Francis Mwangangi would be an uphill task. Yatta voters defied the Wiper wave in the last polls to vote for the youthful MP whom they say has so far not disappointed them. His development track record is speaking volumes for itself in last two years he has been at the helm. He has of late fallen out of favour with the governor and chances of him throwing the weight behind Charles for governor are rising.
He hails from the lower region and those working for his entry say he needs a running mate from the upper region to appease upper voters. Here, the name of Wavinya Ndeti has sprung up as a formidable candidate for running mate. She came second to Mutua in the last polls garning 83,537 votes against Mutua’s 153,077 votes. Those following Machakos county politics say she stands a remote chance in snatching the seat from Mutua but can help in denying him the same. The name of deputy governor Bernard Kiala has also featured in the matrix. Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, although he had expressed interest for the seat, chickened out after allegedly realising that Wiper top brass and by extension, Kalonzo, was not for the idea.
Machakos senator, the maverick Johnson Muthama, will play a key role in the anti- Mutua crusade. He has been a thorn in the flesh for the governor who is in the list of corrupt leaders released by Uhuru Kenyatta. The senator has come out accusing the county government of theft and misuse of public resources and vowed to teach the youthful governor a lesson come 2017. According to sources inside Mutua’s office, on feeling the political heat and possible prosecutions, he sanctioned a research recently released by Infotrack to paint him the best performing governor in Kenya. His chief of staff, Mwengi Mutuse, while entertaining friends along Koinange Street in Nairobi, was heard bragging how they spent a whopping Sh5 million into deceiving voters and Machakos residents they are working. All this was to divert the attention from the corruption allegations which are likely to sink Mutua and his key aides.
The cash siphoned from public coffers is now allegedly channelled to fighting Kalonzo in the region with each MP attending the Kalonzo-bashing sessions paid Sh300,000 to besmirch Kalonzo.
It is against this backdrop that Wiper is lining up candidates in the constituencies where the MPs have rebelled. In Machakos town, Kalonzo is relying on Knut national treasurer to send Munyaka home. It will be a cut-throat competition for the duo but Mutisya will have an added advantage of being in Wiper which is the party of choice in the region.
In Mwala constituency, the former MP Daniel Muoki is set to wrestle the seat from incumbent Vincent Musyoka. He has a strong showing on the ground and young voters who helped Musyoka win are not seeing the benefits of his youthfulness. Muoki is also a strong and ardent Wiper supporter.
In Kilome, where MP Regina Ndambuki, a poor public speaker has rebelled, former MP and ambassador to Tanzania Mutinda Mutiso is being groomed by Wiper to challenge her. He has expressed his interest especially now that the Jubilee government failed to renew his contract for the diplomatic post and instead appointed Ali Mwakwere. In Mbooni where the MP has lukewarm support for Kalonzo, the name of former provincial commissioner Phillip Ndolo has emerged as a good bet to tussle with him.
In Kaiti, former MP Gideon Ndambuki is earmarked to reduce the MP’s chances of retaining the seat to dust. Ndambuki lost the senatorial seat to the late Mutula Kilonzo in last polls and he has taken a low profile even missing from the list of Jubilee appointees in the region.
Mutua was elected through Kalonzo Musyoka’s party and is considered within Wiper circles as a rebel and traitor on course to destabilise the party allegedly working behind the scenes with Jubilee Alliance in Ukambani politics to cut Kalonzo down to size and undermine his flourishing appeal among the Kamba nation. He is accused of being behind a section of MPs calling for the Wiper leader to exit politics and pave way for the media hungry and former PNU propagandist to take over.
Although the drive to have Kalonzo quit flopped, the group had maligned the former VP in public rallies attended by the governor, opening fresh battles where Kalonzo has vowed to send the rebel MPs to their political dustbin come 2017. Kamba overwhelming voted for Raila Odinga, the ODM leader and Kalonzo as his running mate in last polls but some leaders are now leaning towards Jubilee in what Kalonzo has castigated terming them political ‘hirelings’.
The political turmoil in the region is giving Kalonzo a headache as he tries to galvanise the Kamba vote ahead of 2017 and those close to him accuse Governor Mutua of using public resources from the county to fund MPs with the aim of dividing the community. Leaders on political watch list and whose Kalonzo is keen to send home for antagonising him include Mutua, MP Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town), Vincent Musyoka (Mwala) Regina Ndambuki (Kilome), Joe Mutambu (Mwingi Central), John Munuve (Mwingi North), Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni), Itwiku Mbai (Masinga) and Richard Makenga (Kaiti).
In Machakos county, names of candidates to face Mutua have featured in Wiper circles. The scheme is based on word that Mutua will ditch Wiper to his own party alongside leaders opposed to Kalonzo. The party leader was irked by Mutua’s absence during the last national delegates conference sending signals that he is not singing the same tune with the party leader. The name of Kathiani MP Robert Mbui has featured in a strategic meeting with word that Kalonzo is comfortable with his candidature. He has come out as a loyal lieutenant to the former VP and may upstage Mutua if he gets a strong running mate from lower constituencies. The name of former Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo has also featured with his admirers saying he has qualities to match the governor and can be easily marketed in the eight constituencies. Those pushing him say that it is the only ball in his hand since trying to recapture his parliamentary seat from the incumbent MP Francis Mwangangi would be an uphill task. Yatta voters defied the Wiper wave in the last polls to vote for the youthful MP whom they say has so far not disappointed them. His development track record is speaking volumes for itself in last two years he has been at the helm. He has of late fallen out of favour with the governor and chances of him throwing the weight behind Charles for governor are rising.
He hails from the lower region and those working for his entry say he needs a running mate from the upper region to appease upper voters. Here, the name of Wavinya Ndeti has sprung up as a formidable candidate for running mate. She came second to Mutua in the last polls garning 83,537 votes against Mutua’s 153,077 votes. Those following Machakos county politics say she stands a remote chance in snatching the seat from Mutua but can help in denying him the same. The name of deputy governor Bernard Kiala has also featured in the matrix. Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, although he had expressed interest for the seat, chickened out after allegedly realising that Wiper top brass and by extension, Kalonzo, was not for the idea.
Machakos senator, the maverick Johnson Muthama, will play a key role in the anti- Mutua crusade. He has been a thorn in the flesh for the governor who is in the list of corrupt leaders released by Uhuru Kenyatta. The senator has come out accusing the county government of theft and misuse of public resources and vowed to teach the youthful governor a lesson come 2017. According to sources inside Mutua’s office, on feeling the political heat and possible prosecutions, he sanctioned a research recently released by Infotrack to paint him the best performing governor in Kenya. His chief of staff, Mwengi Mutuse, while entertaining friends along Koinange Street in Nairobi, was heard bragging how they spent a whopping Sh5 million into deceiving voters and Machakos residents they are working. All this was to divert the attention from the corruption allegations which are likely to sink Mutua and his key aides.
The cash siphoned from public coffers is now allegedly channelled to fighting Kalonzo in the region with each MP attending the Kalonzo-bashing sessions paid Sh300,000 to besmirch Kalonzo.
It is against this backdrop that Wiper is lining up candidates in the constituencies where the MPs have rebelled. In Machakos town, Kalonzo is relying on Knut national treasurer to send Munyaka home. It will be a cut-throat competition for the duo but Mutisya will have an added advantage of being in Wiper which is the party of choice in the region.
In Mwala constituency, the former MP Daniel Muoki is set to wrestle the seat from incumbent Vincent Musyoka. He has a strong showing on the ground and young voters who helped Musyoka win are not seeing the benefits of his youthfulness. Muoki is also a strong and ardent Wiper supporter.
In Kilome, where MP Regina Ndambuki, a poor public speaker has rebelled, former MP and ambassador to Tanzania Mutinda Mutiso is being groomed by Wiper to challenge her. He has expressed his interest especially now that the Jubilee government failed to renew his contract for the diplomatic post and instead appointed Ali Mwakwere. In Mbooni where the MP has lukewarm support for Kalonzo, the name of former provincial commissioner Phillip Ndolo has emerged as a good bet to tussle with him.
In Kaiti, former MP Gideon Ndambuki is earmarked to reduce the MP’s chances of retaining the seat to dust. Ndambuki lost the senatorial seat to the late Mutula Kilonzo in last polls and he has taken a low profile even missing from the list of Jubilee appointees in the region.
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