Governor ditches ODM, to defend seat as independent

Taita Taveta governor John Mruttu (left) and Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadeghu shake hands on May 21, 2017 at Lushangonyi Catholic Church in Mgange Nyika. PHOTO | BRIAN OCHARO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The governor said that he had struggled to have the residents of Taveta constituency who did not vote to exercise their democratic rights but the party failed to execute orders of the court.
  • Mr Mruttu cited frustrations within the party that made him bolt out to defend his seat as an independent candidate following failure by the party to execute a court order that had revoked Mr Mwadeghu’s victory in the April 18 primaries.

Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu has confirmed that he will be defending his seat as an independent candidate in the August polls.

Mr Mruttu said that he arrived at the decision after Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party showed reluctance in conducting a repeat of the primaries as was directed by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) in May.

The governor said that he had struggled to have the residents of Taveta constituency who did not vote to exercise their democratic rights but the party failed to execute orders of the court.

“It was my wish that the elections which were supposed to be repeated in some parts of the constituency conducted, but since about 7000 electorates in the constituency have been denied their constitutional rights to nominate their leader, I have made a decision to defend my seat as per the people’s wish,” he said.

Speaking at Lushangonyi Catholic Church in Mgange Nyika, the governor said that he had consulted the electorate who advised him to go it alone if the party was not willing to conduct a repeat of the primaries in Challa and Mahoo wards and Jipe polling station.

COURT ORDER

Mr Mruttu cited frustrations within the party that made him bolt out to defend his seat as an independent candidate following failure by the party to execute a court order that had revoked Mr Mwadeghu’s victory in the April 18 primaries.

“He who chases you away does not directly tell you to go, I saw the signs and decided to bolt out so that the party can settle on Mr Mwadehu as it had preferred,” he told the congregation.

“But come August, I will be on the ballot, I will come back to you and ask for your votes so that I can continue with the projects already started,” the governor added amid applause from the congregation.

The governor said that he had no personal differences with Mr Mwadeghu who is seeking to unseat him on an ODM ticket, saying they were in good terms despite differing politically.

“If you see us out there playing politics it does not mean we are enemies,” he said.

Mr Mwadeghu who is also the Wundanyi MP, also said that he had no personal differences with the governor and urged the church to pray for peaceful elections.

NOT ENEMIES

“We are not at war with the governor, we only differ politically and that does not mean we are enemies,” he said

The lawmaker cautioned the residents to be vigilant of leaders who might ride on their political differences to ignite violence.

The two leaders called on their supporters to maintain peace ahead of the August polls saying their political differences was healthy and signified a mature democracy.

Mr Mwadeghu defeated the governor in the primaries by garnering 17,567 votes against Mr Mruttu’s 14,817 but the governor disputed the results.

Mr Mruttu successfully challenged the results and a repeat of the primaries was ordered in some polling stations, but Mr Mwadeghu appealed against the court ruling.

The appeal of the hotly contested primaries is still pending in the court of appeal and the ruling is expected to be delivered on Tuesday.