Two MPs and deputy governor distance themselves from Kalonzo presidency debate

By Victor Nzuma

Machakos county: Two members of parliament and deputy governor in Machakos county on Thursday distanced themselves from the remarks by some of their collegues urging the  Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to vie for Presidency in  the 2017 general elections.

The two,  Robert Mbui (Kathiani) and his Mavoko counterpart Mr Patrick Makau, dismissed the remarks as ill-advised and aimed at finishing Mr Musyoka politically.

Speaking seperately, the two insisted that the pact reached recently by the three principals of CORD over the 2017 general elections should remain as it is the only weapon for the CORD to win the elections.

Presiding over a public meeting at Kalikya primary school in his constituency where he presented a cheque of Sh500,000 for the school's expansion, Mr Mbui said that the Kamba community were behind CORD during the last general elections and so far nothing has changed the scenario.

''We very well know who are behind these MPs and their mission to deliver what they have been paid for'' he added.

He expressed deep disappointment over the prevailing war of words between Machakos senator Johnstone Muthama and governor Dr Alfred Mutua, saying it was a worrying trend at the expense of the electorate.

He pledged to work with the two but urged them to iron out their political differences.

Speaking in Athi-river town, Mr Makau said the four MPs'  plea to Kalonzo was  a calculated scheme by Jubilee to finish him (Kalonzo) politically and destabilise the region's unity.

''The former VP should firmly stick to the CORD's unity as its the only way the community will be able to rule the country one day and ignore the traitors' 'advise' he said.

The legislator said the kamba community was behind the Wiper party leader and should not be worried by the rebellious move.

He challenged those holding leadership positions on Wiper ticket  to relinguish their seats and vie on other tickets.

The Mavoko legislator defended Mr Muthama from what he called uncalled for accusations by the MPs saying he (Muthama) was advocating for the rights of the county people.

''Mr Muthama is empowered by the constitution to supervise what is happening in the county in terms of money expenditure as well as the welfare of the people,'' he said.

He told the governor to keep off Athi-river town and Mavoko constituency as a whole claiming the revenue collected from the town did not benefit the locals.

At the same time, the Machakos deputy governor Mr Bernard Kiala, also distanced himself from the four MPs' utterances in Mwala last week.

Speaking exclusively to the Standard in Machakos, Mr Kiala said that he was misquoted as having uttered any word advising the former VP to vie for Presidency or pave way for the governor in 2017.

''The truth is that I never uttered such words but instead said I was solidly in CORD and would work with the Jubilee government on development basis and not on political aspect'' he said.

''My governor and I are only concentrated in development issues and not divisive and destructive politics'' added the deputy governor.

The three were reacting to calls by the four legislators,  Vincent Musyoka (Mwala), Benson Mbai (Masinga), Victor Munyaka (Machakos town) and the county women representative Susan Musyoka, that Mr Kalonzo should part ways with Raila Odinga and vie for the presidency 2017.

The MPs had also insisted that the kamba community would not like to go for vice presidency again as they had done away with it.