Wavinya, Mutua take on each other after IEBC clearance

Governor Alfred Mutua. Photo: Edward Kiplimo, Standard

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and his rival former Kathiani MP Wavinya Ndeti were Thursday cleared by the Interim Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to seek the County’s top job.

Mutua, who was the first to appear before the commission’s offices in Machakos Thursday morning accompanied by his running mate, Francis Maliti fired a political missile at Wavinya, when he told his followers that, like in 2013, he will beat Wavinya with a huge margin.

“We are not worried by anything. We will ensure that we deal with Wavinya the same way we did in 2013,” Mutua told his supporters in Machakos town moments after being cleared by IEBC to defend his seat.

The governor will defend his seat on his party Maendeleo Chap Chap ticket which he formed last year after falling out with Wiper party in whose ticket he was elected.

Wavinya, who made a grand entry into Machakos town, escorted by hundreds of supporters chanting Wiper slogans took on Mutua soon after presenting her nomination papers to the electoral body.

The former legislator, who quit as the Chama Cha Uzalendo party leader to seek election as governor through Wiper party ticket accused Mutua, Senator Johnstone Muthama and deputy governor Bernard Kiala of conspiracy to scuttle her gubernatorial bid.

“It is strange that three grown up men have all ganged up to frustrate my campaigns. I can say here that Muthama, Mutua and Kiala have been working day and night to scheme my downfall through courts but by God’s power they have been defeated. Now I wonder what else they will plan against me,” said Wavinya.

She went on: “We know that our victory was taken away from us in 2013, but now the people of Machakos have made up their minds to put in place leadership which puts the people first,” she said.

Wavinya, who was accompanied by his running mate, outgoing East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Peter Mathuki said time had come to redeem the people of Machakos from bad governance.

“I have been informed that they have planned to plant hooligans to disrupt my caravan and cause chaos, but we are alive to that and we also expect IEBC to be a fair referee during the campaign period and at the day of elections,” she said.