Musila picks Malombe’s deputy as running mate in Kitui race

Senator David Musila who is gunning for the Kitui governorship as an independent candidate after a falling out with Wiper party, has picked Governor Julius Malombe’s deputy Peninah Malonza as his running mate.

Mr Musila unveiled Ms Malonza on Wednesday at a campaign rally in her home town of Mutomo in Kitui South Constituency, after meeting local leaders.

In an interesting political twist, the deputy governor will now be working to send her boss home and may set a record of deputising two governors if Mr Musila beats Dr Malombe at the ballot.

“I have finally settled on the current Deputy Governor Peninah Malonza as my running mate and I have confidence she brings on board a wealth of experience” Mr Musila told Kitui South leaders.

HUMILIATED

Ms Malonza, who has been at loggerheads with Dr Malombe, claimed she had undergone untold humiliation in the four years she has served as his deputy and that she will campaign for regime change to restore the dignity of women.

The deputy governor said Kitui voters should not give her boss a second term in office because he has allegedly presided over “serious intra-marginalisation” within the vast county.

“I thank Senator Musila for the confidence he has shown in me and I will work hard as his loyal deputy during and after the campaigns to serve the whole county without bias or favouring certain areas,” she said, adding that she is the corner stone ignored by some builders.

REGIONAL BALANCE

The choice of Ms Malonza is meant to attain regional balance and is expected to help Mr Musila consolidate peripheral areas of the county which will be battlegrounds for the three candidates running for the Kitui governorship.

Governor Malombe has already snubbed his deputy after bitter political falling-out in favour of a new running mate, former teacher and trade unionist Agnes Kambua Musee, whom he named last week.

Dr Malombe was not available for comment but a senior aide, Kitheka Mulatya, said Ms Malonza’s defection to the rival camp is inconsequential.

NOTHING NEW

“There is nothing new in being named Senator Musila’s running mate. It has been an open secret that she has been working hard against the governor for a while now,” said Mr Mulatya.

In September 2016, Governor Malombe said he regretted picking Ms Malonza as his running mate in the last elections claiming she had been disrespectful and disloyal to him.

“I did not know this person. I chose her simply because I wanted a lady deputy from Kitui South but she doesn't appreciate that I picked her from obscurity and made her a senior leader,” he said.

Mrs Musee, Governor Malombe’s running mate who ran for Mwingi North parliamentary seat in the 2013 elections on a Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU) ticket, is former executive secretary of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), Kyuso branch.