Kitui Governor Julius Malombe, Kitui MP Marcus Muluvi in public spat over 2017

Bad blood between Kitui Governor Julius Malombe and Kitui East MP Marcus Muluvi played out in public during a function attended by retired Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and former Chief of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) General Julius Karangi.

The face-off between Dr Malombe and Major (Rtd) Muluvi at Kilonzo Primary School in Muluvi’s constituency on Thursday degenerated into personal attacks, with the two leaders accusing one another of disrespecting and undermining the other.

A visibly angry Malombe told off the MP, accusing him of taking Senator David Musila around his constituency to campaign for his (Musila’s) gubernatorial bid in the 2017 elections.

“You cannot thrive on deceiving people all the time. It is wrong and unacceptable for leaders worth their salt to peddle lies against me and my government,” the governor told the gathering during the commissioning of a Sh10.7 million Mwivaki Borehole Water Supply Project funded by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the county government.

Dr Mutunga, Mr Karangi and County Commissioner Boaz Cherutich watched silently as Malombe tore into Muluvi, who had earlier accused the governor of not doing enough for locals.

Muluvi told Malombe to forget the constituency’s support in next year’s general election if he does not meet the needs of the people, top among them the opening and equipping of stalled health facilities across the county.

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“Governor, you should not be deceived by these people who want to endear themselves to you for their own egos. Some of them, including MCAs, want to hoodwink you ahead of the elections,” he said.

The MP claimed a group of MCAs were lying to the governor that he was popular, saying “very few people can be candid with you on the truth on the ground.”

He then warned the governor to prepare for a tough challenge in his re-election bid.

But Malombe hit back, saying development must be strategic and balanced as most parts of Kitui were marginalised.

He warned the MP that, as the Wiper Party director, he should not impose Musila on the electorate.