Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka skipped President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tour of Ukambani region last weekend because of divisions within his party, an MP has claimed.
The legislator, who did not want to be named, told the People Daily that the bad blood between Kitui Senator David Musila and Governor Julius Malombe informed Kalonzo’s decision to stay away from the President’s functions.
“It wasn’t about the party leader not being informed of the President’s tour. The issue was about who was to be in charge of the programme which led to a push and pull between the senator and the governor,’’ said the legislator who represents one of the constituencies in Kitui county.
According to the MP, Musila was unhappy that the governor had “hijacked” the programme of Uhuru’s visit despite the senator claiming credit for the tour, which he says, resulted from a visit to State House which he led last month.
President Kenyatta launched several projects during the visit. He was accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto.
Because of the worsening relations between the two Kitui leaders, the MP said Kalonzo decided to keep off as he did not want to appear to be taking sides.
Share a platform
Despite Kalonzo’s efforts to broker a truce between Malombe and Musila, the relationship between the two has been so bad that they hardly share a platform.
When President Kenyatta kicked off his tour on Saturday, the Governor was in Mwingi while the Senator was in Mutomo waiting for the President to commission the Kibwezi-Kitui-Mwingi road, which did not take place after he cut short the tour and flew back to Nairobi.
Musila is said to have stayed away from the inter-denominational church service at Kitui School after he learned that the governor had taken over the programme. Four MPs and several MCAs allied to the senator also skipped the service.
Other legislators who gave the President’s tour a wide berth include Makali Mulu (Kitui Central), Mutua Muluvi (Kitui East), Benard Kitungi (Mwingi West), Francis Nyenze (Kitui West), Charles Nyamai (Kitui Rural) and Robert Mutemi (Nominated).
Those who turned up included governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos) Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni), MPs Rachael Kaki (Kitui South), Joe Mutambu (Mwingi Central), John Munuve (Mwingi North), Richard Makenga (Kaiti), Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni), Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town), Francis Mwangangi (Yatta), Itwiku Mbai (Masinga), Vincent Musyoka (Mwala) and Kitui Women’s Rep Nyiva Mwendwa.
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