Kitui women back Malombe in spat with his deputy

What you need to know:

  • While addressing the media in Kitui town, the women leaders dismissed Mrs Malonza’s claims of mistreatment by her boss as outright falsehoods terming them baseless.
  • The deputy governor has broken ranks with her boss citing harassment and intimidation by the governor and county government officers aligned to him.

A spat between Kitui Governor Julius Malombe and his deputy Penina Malonza has taken a different twist after women leaders now backing the county boss.

A section of women leaders led by Maendeleo Ya Wanawake organisation chairperson Ruth Mulandi said on Tuesday that Mrs Malonza was a disgrace to the women of Kitui.

They condemned her for “her audacity to engage Malombe in public spats as well as making disparaging remarks against him.”

While addressing the media in Kitui town, the women leaders dismissed Mrs Malonza’s claims of mistreatment by her boss as outright falsehoods terming them baseless.

“We therefore wish to distance ourselves from the views held by the deputy governor and her ilk as they do not represent the true position of women in Kitui,” said Mrs Mulandi.

They termed Mrs Malonza’s recent threats to strip naked in public as misguided and lame political tactic to win political sympathy from the locals.
They said it was an uncalled for from a respected woman leader like her.

During a public rally at Kisayani market in Kitui South, she threatened to walk naked on the streets of Kitui in protest against Dr Malombe who she accused of instigating her woes in the county government.

“We therefore urge her to apologise to her boss and accord him the respect he deserves. She should also concentrate on her job and conduct herself with dignity.

“If not so, we urge her to quickly resign to pave way for appointment of an individual who is more willing to work harmoniously with the governor,” they said.

The deputy governor has broken ranks with her boss citing harassment and intimidation by the governor and county government officers aligned to him.

“I have been covering a festering wound for a very long time but I cannot bear it anymore,” she said at a church service in Katalwa, Mwingi West adding that it was time to break the silence.

On his part, Dr Malombe accused her of working with his political rivals to rubbish his development record besides tarnishing his name.

He said Mrs Malonza had neglected her official duties to join hands with politicians opposed to his leadership, including Kitui Senator David Musila who has declared interest in unseating county’s top seat in 2017.

“She has forsaken her official duties and now spends much of her time dining with my political opponents and detractors as they plot my downfall ahead of 2017 general elections,” a visibly angry Malombe said.

However, Mrs Malonza defended herself maintaining that she respected the governor as her boss but expressed displeasure after he termed her a political traitor.

She said it was her democratic right to associate with and support whichever politician she wished regardless of the nature of the politician’s relationship with the governor.

“It is not upon the governor to approve or reject my political or personal associations,” she added.

She, however, lauded her boss for ensuring that residents in her home area enjoyed the fruits of devolution by undertaking numerous development projects in Kitui South but requested him to consider improving dilapidated access roads in the area.