Embu elders say Kivuti best candidate to replace Wambora

Senator Lenny Kivuti’s bid to be the next governor of Embu County has received a major boost after elders from two communities in the county said he was the best candidate to replace Governor Wambora.

The Mbeere Council of Elders, Ngome Council of Elders and seven officials of the splinter Nyaangi Council of Elders Saturday said Mr Kivuti had initiated development during his tenure as a member of parliament.

Speaking at his Kanyuambora home in Mbeere North, the elders, numbering about 200, said they would support Mr Kivuti’s bid to oust Mr Wambora in the forthcoming elections.

It was the first time that Mr Kivuti was publicly announcing the move, despite having earlier declared his support for Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire.

He said there was a memorandum of understanding that charted a power sharing agreement between the Embu and the Mbeere communities.

DEVELOPMENT RECORD

Ngome Council of Elders chairman Eston Ireri said they were happy with Mr Kivuti’s development record, attributing most of the development initiated by the national government to him.

“We have all agreed to support him because we are [satisfied with] his leadership skills. We will support him next year, when the elections are called,” he said.

Mr Kivuti said he had been consulting widely before making a formal declaration to run for governor.

“I have been consulting with the elders from Embu and Mbeere communities and they have pledged to support me. The result of the two consultations is that all Embu elders have asked me to serve as Embu Governor [come] 2017. With humility, I have accepted to contest,” he declared.

On Sunday last week, Mr Kivuti and Ms Mbarire clashed in public at Karurumo market following reports that the senator had planned to launch his bid for the governor’s seat and release a campaign anthem.

Ms Mbarire was angered by what she termed as betrayal by Mr Kivuti who had apparently agreed to support the Runyenjes MP to unseat Governor Wambora.