Kivutha Kibwana accuses Kalonzo for obstructing Azimio
Mr. Kivutha Kibwana, the Governor of Makueni County and Muungano Party leader has accused Wiper’s front runner, Mr. Kalonzo Musyoka for being an obstacle in the Azimio coalition’s presidential bid to put Mr. Raila Odinga into power.
Airing his displeasure towards Mr. Kalonzo Musyoka’s moves towards becoming Raila Odinga’s running mate in the upcoming general elections, Mr. Kivutha Kibwana stated that the Wiper party undercuts the long run campaign by Azimio coalition.
The Makueni Governor called upon the Azimio leadership to act upon the obstacle in order to salvage the coalition.
“It is clear Wiper was never in Azimio. Evidently, it has no intention of joining Azimio. Up to now the party has never campaigned for Raila in Ukambani. Only the three Ukambani governors did so and raised Raila’s popularity in the region to about 65 per cent,” stated Kivutha Kibwana.
These remarks came a few hours after Kalonzo Musyoka launched a campaign at Wote Town in Makueni County in order to pressure Raila Odinga to have him as his presidential running mate.
“As the three Ukambani governors who are in Azimio camp we were directed to take a break from campaigning because Mr Musyoka is seeking the deputy captain position. We were told to stay at the reserve bench for a while. And we are patient because you cannot campaign when there isn’t space to campaign,” claimed Mr. Kibwana during the burial of Janet Nthoki, the daughter of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chairman Johnson Muthama.
Given the high stakes in Azimio’s presidential bid and Kalonzo Musyoka getting new allies, including Mike Sonko, a former Governor of Nairobi County, which has resulted in him making bold moves.
Some of the allies that Kalonzo Musyoka has garnered strong support from include
Senators Mutula Kilonzo Junior (Makueni) and Enoch Wambua (Kitui) and MPs Daniel Maanzo (Makueni) and Rose Museo (Makueni Woman Rep) are the faces of the hardliners in Kalonzo Musyoka’s campaign.
Some of Kalonzo Musyoka’s allies have advised him against attending the vetting process scheduled for Monday, citing that vetting Kalonzo is trivial an amounts to disgrace him.
Moreover, the party has threatened to back off from the Azimio coalition if Raila Odinga does not pick him as his running mate on Tuesday.
“Mr Odinga has a responsibility of picking Mr Musyoka as his running mate because the Kamba community has stood by him for long. In the event that Mr Musyoka is not picked as Mr Odinga’s running mate, we shall ditch Azimio,” reiterated Mr. Wambua during a church event at Wote Town.
A number of Kalonzo’s hardliners have been bidding for Raila to name him as his running mate, because they believe that Kalonzo is the most suitable and more experienced candidate among the shortlisted.
Meanwhile, the chairman of Ukambani United Clergy Peter Mwangangi, threatened to curse anyone opposed to Kalonzo Musyoka’s deputy president bid, which was well received by the Wiper leader.
“When you hear Bishop Mwangangi speak so firmly, know that something is wrong and it must be resolved. Kambas and Kenyans must be treated fairly,” stated Kalonzo Musyoka.
On the other hand Mr. Kivutha Kibwana believes that Kalonzo Musyoka’s aim is to destroy the Azimio coalition.
“Where on earth does a potential running mate blackmail a presidential candidate so as to be made a deputy by attacks, abuse, vitriol, confrontation and guile? In which democracy?,” he paused.
He continued, “Such a strategy is deployed where one knows they may not qualify but wants to build sympathy among a section of the electorate. Wiper wants to shore up its dwindling fortunes by inciting the Kamba community against Mr Odinga. Wiper is working so hard to alienate the Kamba community from the rest of Kenyans. But the community is wiser than before.”
