Malombe banks on development track for re-election

Kitui Governor Julius Malombe has exuded confidence that he will be re-elected in next year’s elections pegged on his development record.

Speaking during a live interview with a local television station, KTN News, on Monday night, Dr Malombe said development is his main campaign strategy, adding that Kitui people were not gullible to prefer empty rhetoric over transformative leadership.

The governor said his administration had contributed significantly to social transformation and economic growth of the residents.

He said persons seeking to unseat him in the 2017 general polls claim he has done nothing.

He, however, insisted his performance in three years gives him an edge over his rivals Senator David Musila and former Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu.

“I challenge them to first show what they have done for the electorate in Kitui before accusing me of failing to deliver,” he said.

MUSILA, NGILU SKIP INTERVIEW

Ms Ngilu and Mr Musila were also invited to join the county boss for the interview, which majorly focused on Kitui County issues and politics, but did not show up.

“I wish they were here with me so that I could set the record straight and respond to their concerns about my performance one-on-one,” Dr Malombe said.

He said the county government, under his leadership, had achieved a lot in three years alone adding that true leadership is exhibited through evident service delivery as opposed to rhetoric.

“My rivals say I have fallen short of people’s expectations while they have no legacy to show despite having been in power for decades. Most parts where my detractors were in charge remained underdeveloped until inception of devolution in 2013,” he noted.

“Devolved system of governance is still in infancy and therefore taking root gradually. It is therefore premature for somebody to say devolution has not benefited Kenyans at all,” he observed.

He said his government had done a lot to deliver the county from the jaws of poverty which the locals have borne since independence as a result of marginalisation by successive governments.

“Before devolution, our people depended on food aids from year to year. They grappled with poor healthcare services, perennial water scarcity and food insecurity as well as deplorable roads network, with which the rest of the country identified the region with,” he said.

“My government has however undertaken over 3,000 water, roads, healthcare, trade and education projects across the vast county with the sole aim of reversing the situation thereby improving people’s lives and restoring their lost dignity,” Dr Malombe explained.

Asked what he has done to address water scarcity, the major problem facing the arid county, Dr Malombe said his administration had in the past three years spent Sh2.1 billion to purchase water equipment and establish numerous water points across the dry Kitui.

“I can confidently say Kitui is gradually becoming water secure as 40 per cent of the population now has reliable access to the important natural resource,” he boasted.

He said 53 earth dams had been constructed and that drilling and equipping of 70 boreholes was underway in the 40 wards of Kitui but majority were complete and already serving the locals together with their livestock.

The governor further said 100,000 residents of water-scarce Kitui South will by May 2017 benefit from an ongoing Sh800 million water project, being implemented by the county government in conjunction with the World Vision on a fifty-fifty basis.

He said the River Athi-Kanyangi-Maluma-Mutomo-Kanziko water supply scheme will serve over six wards in the southern constituency and bring to an end the water shortage menace that has plagued the remote area for ages.

“Our target is to ensure that all households in the county lie within less than two kilometers of water points as we strive to improve the situation further,” he said.

Questioned why he has fallen out with elected leaders from the Kitui especially the MPs, the county boss told his host Ben Kitili that “your guess is as good as mine. It beats me why they have chosen to avoid me.”

BIG SUPPORT

He, however, emphasised that he was prepared to work with the lawmakers to serve the people of Kitui if they wished to cooperate with him.

He, as well, said he was enjoying the support of over 80 per cent of members of Kitui County Assembly (MCAs) and that their working relationship was excellent.

“Do you think Senator Musila will get a bloc vote from the larger Mwingi during the forthcoming elections while you and Ngilu battle it out to secure votes from the rest of the county?” posed the host.

“It is not true that the whole of Mwingi District supports Musila but the ultimate decision of who will be their governor in 2017 lies with Kitui people who hold the votes,” said Dr Malombe.

The governor was not amused when National Assembly Minority Leader and Kitui West MP Francis Nyenze called in and accused him of awarding government contracts to his relatives besides sidelining the youth in the county.

In response, Dr Malombe dismissed Nyenze’s concerns as blatant lies that were not expected from a respected leader like him. He also challenged the legislator to substantiate his claims.

He said contracts are awarded on basis of merit regardless of who the contractor is. He also said his government trained 2,000 potential contractors.

“We trained 50 individuals from each of the 40 wards, of whom 80pc were youth. We also helped them to register companies and majority have since benefited.

Dr Malombe as well urged the national government to fast track construction of Kitui–Kibwezi–Isiolo road saying the major road would unlock the economic potential of Kitui County besides serving many other neighbouring counties once tarmacked.