Mutua ruffles feathers with Chap Chap slogan

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has claimed that the government has sensed defeat in the next General Election and is now trying to divide the Opposition.

Without mentioning Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua, a man who has lately been spoiling for a supremacy contest in Ukambani, Mr Musyoka fell short of branding him “an errand boy”.

Directing his arsenal at President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto whom he charged are seeking to entice the Kamba community into a barren alliance, Mr Musyoka told the Sunday Nation that he “would not accept to be sidetracked by such antics”.

“I am not in competition with anyone who wants to be a tribal kingpin. I want to be Kenya’s President. We will not be diverted by those pursuing regional supremacy, playing into the hands of our opponents who want to see a divided Opposition,” said the Wiper boss.

His sentiments echo those by his co-principals in Cord, Raila Odinga and Moses Wetang’ula, who have decried what they call carrot-and-stick tactics the government has adopted towards the Opposition.

In a typical fashion of seeking to subdue the enemy without appearing to fight them, Mr Musyoka downplayed Governor Mutua’s forays in Ukambani, trips that have been laced with political undertones under the Maendeleo Chap Chap banner.

“There is no cause for alarm. By far, the greatest number of Wiper MPs are solidly in Wiper. It is only a few who have succumbed to Jubilee’s machinations,” he said.

Warding off criticism that he had little to show for his long grip on the region’s leadership, the former VP said: “Despite not controlling the amount of resources like what is at the disposal of elected leaders today, we achieved a lot for our people. Kiambere-Mwingi water project, which is the largest in the country, was done under my watch.

Its phase two is almost done. The largest irrigation project in Ukambani, Wikithuki in Tseikuru, which Jubilee is out to frustrate, is also one such initiative among many more.”

Governor Mutua and legislators allied to him are on record as saying some leaders in the region had served their purpose and it was time they exited the political scene, remarks understood by supporters of Mr Musyoka as aimed at him.

“This is a blessing in disguise. The people now know who the true enemies of their cause are. I doubt if our people would want to elect leaders particularly in the level of a governor who misappropriates their resources in future,” Mr Musyoka said in a warning shot to party rebels.

The Machakos Governor, who is perceived to be close to the Jubilee administration, has hosted President Kenyatta at least three times in recent months. 

Lately, he has embarked on “meet the people tours”, a campaign that he says aims at liberating the region from poverty.

“I am for Kamba unity and the unity of the community must be based on development and not the personal welfare of individual leaders,” he said, adding: “We have had leaders who have only sought power to achieve their own goals but not to serve the people who elect them. They are afraid of being unmasked”.

To Mr Musyoka’s supporters, Governor Mutua is a young impatient politician in a hurry to stage a coup when his political godfathers are still alive and firmly in charge. But to his admirers, the former Government Spokesman is an idea whose time has come and no amount of suppression can stop him.

But speaking to the Sunday Nation, Dr Mutua said development, and not politics, will determine who leads: “If anyone wants the support of Ukambani people, we will only negotiate on projects for our community not positions for individuals. We want to see budgets, implementation time lines and commitment before we say this is where we are going.”

Wiper chairman David Musila, who also believes that Dr Mutua is not his own man in the push, says the “Jubilee house” was already too full to accommodate another principal occupant.

“Why would someone want us in Jubilee yet there is no room for us? Their lineup is already full and perhaps our chance in there would come in 2032, after Ruto has completed his term,” he said.

And the governor is seen as the pacesetter in the management of county affairs, although his critics accuse him of investing in a lot of public relations exercises. On Friday, Dr Mutua may have suffered a setback after clan leaders said to have endorsed him as the “perfect replacement” for Mr Musyoka disowned the report.

“I write to clear the air and refute in the strongest terms possible what appeared in the Daily Nation, People Daily and more so The Standard ... It was purported that the council in a meeting on Tuesday, August 25, gave Governor Mutua of Machakos County the mandate to be the community’s leader.

There is no such time that the council did so,” wrote chairman of Akamba Clans Governing Council of Elders Boniface Kilonzo.

He said that Governor Mutua came to their meeting at Masii Boys’ High School in Machakos and was only allowed to address the meeting “out of courtesy”, adding that the elders’ outfit was non-political.

Mr Musyoka also said that the Cord retreat planned for next weekend is aimed at fostering unity among the affiliate parties with a view to keeping the government in check.

“Without telling so much of what is on the table, what I can assure you is that we will be seeking to unite our forces for better synergy.”

His revelation that they would avoid divisive subjects at the retreat hands Minority Leader Francis Nyenze a lifeline.

There have been indications that he could be replaced at the retreat for “lacklustre performance”.