Governor Ngilu accuses Kitui South MP Nyamai of sabotage

Governor Charity Ngilu has accused Kitui South MP Rachael Nyamai of being behind a group dubbed "Tharaka" that has been leading an online smear campaign against the county government development initiatives.

The accusation comes in the wake of the arrest of the county communication director, Munyasya Muasya, who Governor Ngilu accuses of being the ring leader of the online group.

In a statement dispatched by Governor Ngilu's communication team to Kitui-based journalists, that was also shared to in local WhatsApp groups, the county boss warned she was honing in on the "Tharaka" group.

“We have cornered and arrested Kitui County communication boss Munyasya Musya and one of his juniors in an hotel writing negative stories against the county government. We have all the reasons to belief that they are the anonymous “Tharaka” who have been fighting the county government on social media,” read the statement.

The Kitui County communication director, who was being sought over allegations that he was the ring leader of the group, recorded a police statement claiming that he had been attacked and robbed by goons who accosted and arrested him.

POLITICAL MENTOR

In an interview with the Nation, the Kitui South MP disassociated herself from the "Tharaka" group and the arrested communication officers, saying that she is not in any way at war with Ngilu or her government.

“I’m not at war with Governor Ngilu and no way can I fight the one who mentored me politically. I was shocked by reports from her communication team alleging that I have been behind those fighting her administration,” said the Jubilee Party MP.

The Kitui South MP said that Governor Ngilu has been her political mentor and that she even voted her, hence there is no way she can start fighting the governor this early in her first term.

GOONS 

However, she condemned the way the county officers were arrested claiming that the county should not have used goons who first roughed up the culprits and arrested them unlawfully.

“We don’t want to set precedence where our sons and daughters working with the county government are being terrorised by goons. It was absurd to see senior county government officers being arrested by goons over allegations of fighting the governor on social media. To make matters worse, they all come from my constituency. This is worrying and unacceptable,” lamented Ms Nyamai.

The legislator said that there is a worrying trend taking shape in the county where goons are being used to intimidate residents, an issue the governor should address.

“I don’t know why I’m always being accused whenever there are wrangles in the county government. My role is to represent my people in the National Assembly and not oversight dealings of the county government, people must know that,” Ms Nyamai added.

Governor Ngilu and the Kitui South MP Nyamai have been close friends, with the latter having entered Parliament for the first time in 2013 as the only elected female MP in Kitui County riding on NARC party's popularity in the region.

Their close political relationship lasted for about five years up until when Governor Ngilu was fired from President Kenyatta's government as the Lands Cabinet Secretary.

In 2017, the two went on different paths with the former Cabinet Secretary Ngilu's NARC party aligning with NASA and winning the Kitui gubernatorial seat and MP Nyamai clinching the Kitui South seat on a Jubilee party ticket.