Salvos fired in costly battle for Kiambu leadership

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu (left) and his Deputy James Nyoro during their swearing-in ceremony on August 19, 2017. Trouble now seems to be brewing between the two over the running of the county. PHOTO | FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Infighting between Governor Waititu and his deputy have escalated derailing development.
  • Now their frosty relationship has sucked in other county leaders who accuse Mr Waititu of chest thumping.

  • It has emerged that failure by Governor Waititu to respect a pre-election memorandum of understanding is the genesis of the rift.

A fortnight after President Uhuru Kenyatta summoned Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and his deputy James Nyoro to State House, Nairobi, to reconcile them, there is no sign of a truce.

Before this, Mr Kenyatta’s Deputy William Ruto had last month tried to reconcile the two but it would appear they have irreconcilable differences.

It turns out betrayal, alleged bad leadership and 2022 game plans may have led to the fall-out.

Their fights have now sucked in Woman Rep Gathoni Wamuchomba and a section of Members of Parliament. Last week, protests involving youth under a county government-funded programme were organised in most towns to condemn the leaders.

FROSTY RELATIONSHIP

The two county leaders have not been seeing eye-to-eye for the past eight months, but had keep their differences under wraps. Now their frosty relationship has sucked in other county leaders who accuse Mr Waititu of chest thumping.

It has emerged that failure by Governor Waititu to respect a pre-election memorandum of understanding between him, his deputy and David Ngare, a preacher popularly known as Gakuyo, and a decision to work alone, are the genesis of the rift.

Also at play is the 2022 election game plan, with the governor making it clear that the wrangles are playing out because he is planning for his re-election bid, saying he was aware that Mr Nyoro and other leaders will seek to oust him.

ABUSE LAW

Mr Nyoro, a food and security expert, on Monday accused Mr Waititu of ignoring him, saying the governor had not only refused involve him in county matters, but had also plotted to have him locked out of office by pouring water in it and refusing to have his official car repaired. In November last year, the rift played out at a church service attended by Mr Ruto after the governor accused Mr Nyoro of scolding him. The DP summoned the two and cautioned them against unnecessary infighting.

“Since we entered office, there has never been any Cabinet meeting, and if there has, I have never been involved. The governor makes unilateral decisions, most of which are not informed by merit or law. MCAs and CECs are always threatened and humiliated and have been warned against working with me,” Mr Nyoro said on Monday.

Some of the projects in which he is said have abused the law were an ongoing alcoholic rehabilitation programme, merger of water companies, a decision not to renew the land lease for Del Monte company and a proposal to put up a dumpsite at Nachu, Kikuyu.

SACKED

“I don’t have any personal enmity with the governor. What I am doing is to point out the wrong doings,” said Mr Nyoro.

Mr Waititu is accused of refusing to respect an MoU signed by him and four others, Mr Nyoro, Mr Ngare, James Mugwe and Ms Aquiline Njoki, which saw the four drop their gubernatorial bid in his favour under the banner “United for Kiambu”.

According to the deal, Mr Waititu was to be the governor, Mr Nyoro the deputy, Mr Ngare the county lands minister and principle secretary, Mr Mugwe the roads minister and Ms Njoki the county legal adviser.

Further, the 10 ministerial dockets were to be clustered into three, depending on their functions, and Mr Waititu, Mr Nyoro and Mr Ngare were to head each cluster, a thing that never happened. Mr Mugwe was to get the roads docket, but was later transferred to the water department and then sacked.

Mr Ngare, one of the major financiers of the team, ended up as an advisor, while Ms Njoki became a member of the county service board after her bid to become the county Speaker was thwarted in favour of Mr Stephen Ndicho.

CRUSH OPPOSITION

Mr Waititu is also reported to have preferred working with Members of the County Assembly, leaving out his deputy and CECMs.

According to the governor, MCAs should take credit for development projects. During a meeting in Kikuyu, Mr Waititu said CECMs should not take credit for work done in their respective dockets.

Ms Wamuchomba equated the governor to King Herod of the Bible, who comes out as a distrustful, jealous, and brutal leader, who would ruthlessly crush any potential opposition, saying he not only belittles other leaders, but also applies hooliganism on them.

“I am very ashamed because I thought that (when voting Waititu) we were electing a Joseph (likened to that of the Bible) to save Kiambu bad leadership, but we have just realised that we voted in a Herod,” said Ms Wamuchomba.  

MODUS OPERANDI

Ms Wamuchomba said the governor hires goons to deal with her, does not involve or listen to other leaders, and fails to attend organised meetings to iron out pressing issues, including two meetings convened by Mr Ruto.

But the governor, who has denied mistreating Mr Nyoro and accused him of lying, has told  off other leaders and has asked them to keep of his leadership style, saying his intentions are always tailored towards pleasing the masses irrespective of the modus operandi.