Kibwana tells off Kalonzo on supremacy

Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka (left) and Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana during a past function. [File, Standard]

Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana has told Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka his time as Ukambani supremo is up.

Reacting to Kalonzo's declaration to end the pact between Wiper and Muungano party, Prof Kibwana described the move as insignificant since the people of Makueni had not been consulted.

Wiper last Thursday served Makueni County Assembly Speaker Douglas Mbilu with a letter of its intention to end its agreement with Muungano party pending shakeup of the assembly leadership.

Kibwana was elected governor in the first term on Muungano ticket, but secured his re-election on a Wiper ticket which also named him party chairman.

The Makueni governor, who has teamed up with governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos) and Charity Ngilu (Wiper), said it should dawn on the former vice president that his time was up.

"I want to tell Wiper leader, where I’m also a member, to stop meaningless fights and support development politics in Ukambani. Kalonzo should do one favour to our people – accept that he has failed to ensure development trickles down to the people who have continued to support him and now his time is up. He should call for a mega rally where he will announce his retirement,” he said.

Kibwana said Kalonzo should returned to the people of Makueni to ask them about termination of the coalition just as he had pleaded with them to back the coalition ahead of 2017 General Election.

“Kalonzo came to the people of Makueni twice till the people accepted the coalition. It was wrong for Kalonzo to terminate the coalition without involving the same people he asked for the coalition. Now he has divorced all the people of Makueni and it’s the same region that has been supporting him overwhelmingly in the lower Eastern,” he added.

Kibwana who spoke during a thanksgiving ceremony at Kambu at the weekend said he has constitutional right to vie for presidency in 2022 so long as the people will endorse him for the seat.

The governor said that former MCAs had warmed up to Kalonzo lately was a pointer it was the Wiper party leader who had been fuelling the wrangles that rocked the county in his first term in office.

Kibwana had accused the MCAs of holding his government hostage, a standoff that nearly led to dissolution of the county.