Taita Taveta leaders criticise Senator Mwazo for courting with Jubilee

A section of Taita Taveta leaders have criticised Senator Dan Mwazo for hinting he might head to Jubilee Party ahead of the August polls.

Speaking to Nation.co.ke, Orange Democratic Movement chairperson, John Maghanga said the senator will disappoint residents if he decides to ditch ODM for Jubilee.

Mr Mwazo wants to unseat incumbent Governor John Mruttu in the upcoming polls.

However, ODM leaders in the county say he might lose if he chooses the party which seems not to have huge support in the county.

“I am asking my leader Mr Mwazo to come back home (ODM) where he belongs. He is my friend but I will not back him on this decision,” Maghanga said.

Maghanga, who was nominated to the county assembly through the ODM party asked the senator to reconcile with party leader Raila Odinga because failure to do so will kill his political ambitions.

“My brother you will not be a fool by calling our party leader and asking for forgiveness. Our party leader has a big heart and he will forgive you,” he said.

Aspiring gubernatorial candidate Erastus Katani termed Mwazo’s remarks as selfish.

“Residents have suffered due to poor leadership since 2013. We cannot allow selfish leaders to continue ruling us as we remain in abject poverty,” he said.

Mr Katani will be contesting as an independent candidate in the August polls.

"Partisan political statements by politicians will not be tolerated this time," he said.

The senator has remained quiet on party issues since 2013 after an alleged fallout with Mr Odinga.

Mr Mwazo has been seen attending Jubilee functions but has failed to join any ODM activities in the county.

In the recent visit by Deputy President William Ruto, Mwazo criticised his party leader for not inviting him to his functions.

“I have accompanied the DP because he invited me and even offered me a chopper ride to his functions. Some leaders come here (Taita Taveta) and send greetings to me as if they don’t know where to get me,” he said as he toured Voi, Taveta and Wundanyi areas.

He indicated that he would team up with the coalition which will have registered more voters in the ongoing mass voter registration exercise.

“I don’t want to be on the losing side. By now Jubilee has high numbers in terms of registered voters,” he said.

He also said he would also support the team which will be ready to ‘scratch his back'.

“I am not ready to support someone who is not ready to support me,” he said.

Residents have been questioning the senator's track record with some saying he underperformed in his responsibilities.

“After 2013 elections we never saw the senator. He has been silent on important issues affecting residents of this county,” said a Taveta resident Barnabas Kitili.

Others in the gubernatorial race are former Coast Water Service Board chairperson, Granton Samboja, Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadeghu, youth leader Jared Nzano and former Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Kisombe.