Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka moves to put his house in order

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and other members address the media after meeting with Makueni leaders in Nairobi. The leaders agreed not to dissolve Makueni county. [PHOTO: DENNIS KAVISU/STANDARD

Makueni, Kenya: Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka yesterday held a closed-door meeting with elected leaders from Makueni county to try and heal rifts among them and foster unity.

Kalonzo met with Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo junior, MPs Regina Ndambuki (Kilome), Jesica Mbalu (Kibwezi East), Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni), Daniel Maanzo (Makueni), Richard Makenga (Kaiti) and Woman Rep Rose Museo at the Senator's Kay Group offices along Ngong Road.

After the meeting, the former VP told journalist that they had agreed to cancel a leaders' meeting scheduled for today in Wote town following the death of Senator Otieno Kajwang.

He first condemned the recent impeachment of Governor Kivutha Kibwana over alleged wrangles and disagreements with the Assembly.

He then said he and the leaders had agreed there was need to put the impeachment on hold and give dialogue a chance.

"The Wiper party strongly condemns the impeachment of Governor Kibwana. We do not support dissolution of the county government. On this, we are unanimous," said Kalonzo.

Kalonzo proposed that issue of dissolving the county be put on hold and allow people to reason together on the way forward.

DISBANDMENT PETITION

"We do not want Makueni county to have the bad reputation of becoming the first among the 47 counties to have been dissolved," he added.

The CORD co-principal said meeting resolved to begin a new chapter, aimed at protecting the integrity of the leaders and the residents of the county.

"Our full house meeting is a clear indicator that Makueni county is strongly a Wiper zone, hence the need to solidify unity.

He announced that an all-inclusive forum of all leaders from will be held on December 2, this year, with himself as the chairman.

The forum will be followed by a huge public rally, whose objective will be to unite the county leadership.

Kalonzo led the leaders in paying tribute to departed Homa Bay Senator, whose death he said was 'a slap on the face' of the CORD family.

But even as made the call, Makueni residents were preparing to hand over a petition of dissolving the county government to State House this morning.

Meanwhile, a Muungano party MP has endorsed the proposed dissolution of the Makueni county government.

The Yatta legislator Francis Mwangangi said the party's leaders had met and resolved that the county government should be dissolved to pave way for fresh elections, to end the current leadership wrangling.

FRESH elections

''This is the only remaining option to end the long leadership stalemate that has rocked the county government. It has terribly divided the leaders from effecting development projects,'' he said.

Mr Mwangangi claimed the party's leadership has approved the demands by the governor to dissolve his administration.

He said the current misunderstanding between leaders will not be solved unless they resign and seek fresh mandate from the electorate.

''The recent show of disunity during President Uhuru Kenyatta left a lot to be desired,'' he said.