Machakos Wiper Party MCAs dare Kivutha Kibwana to quit
Makueni Governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana. Thirty-four members of Machakos County Assembly have called for his resignation as acting Wiper Party chairman. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- On Tuesday, 17 MCAs allied to Governor Mutua asked Mr Musyoka to retire from politics.
Wiper Party politicians have asked acting party chairman and Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana to resign.
Thirty-four members of Machakos County Assembly, led by Majority Leader Mark Muendo, on Friday dared Governor Kibwana to quit if he was fed up with the party.
In a hard-hitting statement, the ward reps alleged that Prof Kibwana sought refuge in the party when he realised he could not win back his gubernatorial seat on a Muungano Party ticket.
"(Prof) Kibwana came to Wiper Party after realising that he could not win the election on his Muungano Party. He went to Kalonzo (Musyoka) and begged to join Wiper. Let him respect our party leader,” said Mr Muendo.
The three governors from Ukambani region- Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni ), Charity Ngilu ( Kitui ) and Alfred Mutua (Machakos) have in the recent past challenged Mr Musyoka to show his development record.
RETIRE FROM POLITICS
On Tuesday, 17 MCAs allied to Governor Mutua asked Mr Musyoka to retire from politics. However, Mr Muendo said that despite having their own political parties, the three governors had minority representation in the county assemblies.
“The three governors have their own parties but how many MPs or MCAs do they have? We are the majority,” said Mr Muendo.
He said that 120 MCAs from the three Ukambani counties and 20 MPs attended the Wiper Party meeting called by Mr Musyoka at his Yatta home on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Mr Kibwana hit out at Mr Musyoka in a statement seen by the Nation.
Wiper Party Members of Machakos County Assembly during a press briefing on February 1, 2019. They asked acting party Chairman Kivutha Kibwana to resign. PHOTO | STEPHEN MUTHINI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
"I have realised that the top most Wiper leadership has never abandoned the undemocratic and dictatorial tendencies of the Kanu of the 1980s. Just like we fought to rid ourselves of the one party regime, we must similarly fight to rid ourselves of Kalonzo's desire to install a one party region in Ukambani,” said Prof Kibwana in a statement.
However, the MCAs on Friday dismissed the governor as being insincere.
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
“We will hold an election to get another governor since (Prof) Kibwana has left Wiper Party,” said Mr Muendo.
Mumbuni North Ward Representative Paul Museku, who accused the three Ukambani governors of trying to divert people’s attention, challenged the county chiefs to show what development they had done with billions of shillings.
Mr Museku, who is also the chairman of the Budget and Appropriation Committee in Machakos County Assembly, warned that the assembly will not approve any other budget unless the executive accounted for the money allocated to various development projects.
