Kibwana scores big in battle with Kalonzo

Immediately Makueni Governor and Muungano party boss Kivutha Kibwana joined forces with Wiper party ahead of the 2017 elections, he embarked on a campaign to “vet” hopefuls hoping to secure party tickets for various seats.

He called the initiative "Kuvana Tuteena (branding children)".

The drive caused jitters in many a politician. Some abandoned Wiper for smaller parties.

The governor credits his success at home and soaring national image to the results of the Wiper-Muungano union.

“The current crop of ward representatives has done a good job and should be re-elected,” Prof Kibwana said during a funds drive in aid of the African Inland Church in Wote last week.

He praised the good relationship between the County Assembly and the Executive, crediting it for development.

“In carrying out its oversight role, the Assembly recently recommended the dismissal of incompetent executives. Ward representatives have enabled the devolved government to utilise public funds well,” he said.

SABOTAGE

The statement came against the backdrop of an acrimonious end of the Wiper-Muungano union.

Prof Kibwana, who has since lost the Wiper chairmanship to former minister Chirau Mwakwere, accuses party leader Kalonzo Musyoka of not being interested in seeing Ukambani region develop.

Mr Musyoka, on the other hand, says the governor is undermining him.

The county boss has on several occasions accused Mr Musyoka of having a hand in the rocky relationship the Makueni Executive had with Wiper ward representatives during his first term.

The differences between the Assembly and the Executive agitated locals who called for disbandment of the devolved government.

A tribunal in 2015 recommended that the county government be dissolved but President Uhuru Kenyatta intervened.

Two years later, when Muungano entered into a coalition with Wiper to enhance Mr Musyoka’s stake in the opposition National Super Alliance, it was obvious the mistrust between Prof Kibwana and his party boss had not ended.

DEVELOPMENT

The deal allowed the two parties to field candidates jointly. It also gave the law don a say on nominating Wiper and Muungano aspirants in Makueni.

“We allowed him to have a say on the candidates Wiper fielded, but we regret it,” Mr Musyoka said while declaring the end of his relationship with Prof Kibwana two months ago.

His audience included former Assembly Speaker Stephen Ngelu, former majority leader Francis Mutuku and a host of former ward representatives discredited by the professor.

He told Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr and Kilome MP Kithua Nzambia to steer away from the governor.

Mr Musyoka has been working closely with former ward representatives who accuse the current ones of being stooges of the Executive and being disloyal to him.

Unlike his first term, the Governor gives Sh33 million to every ward in Makueni each financial year. The region has 30 wards. Ward representatives oversee the undertaking of projects in their zones.

The county boss has also made ward representatives in charge of grading roads in the areas they represent.

They work with State administrators in managing the machinery tasked with grading feeder roads.

COLLAPSED STRATEGY

Makueni Finance executive Mary Kimanzi recently excited ward representatives when she announced plans to ring fence tendering to contractors at the ward level.

“The Assembly will not be dragged into sideshows. We have agreed to focus on serving the electorate,” Assembly Majority Leader and Tulimani Ward Representative Kyalo Mumo said recently.

The realignment Mr Musyoka intended to achieve following the parties’ divorce did not happen as key Assembly leadership positions went back to ward representatives perceived to be pro-Kibwana.

The governor has been celebrated as the best county boss in the country. Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa has on many occasions described Makueni as a devolution success.

Some local politicians say they walk with heads held high because of the positive image their county projects.

GOOD MANAGEMENT

When his government was recently celebrated for prudent use of public resources, Prof Kibwana credited the achievement to the media-shy Finance executive.

Makueni scored another first when it was voted the devolved zone with the best managed healthcare system in the country during the inaugural Quality Healthcare Kenya Awards, a ceremony partly sponsored by Amref, last month.

The ceremony, which was attended by Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki, saw Makueni County Referral Hospital emerge the best public hospital in the country, ahead of the likes of Kenyatta National and Moi Teaching and Referral hospitals.