Maendeleo Chap Chap settles on former Minister Katuku in Machakos Senatorial by-election

Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader Dr Alfred Mutua (right) with the party's candidate for the Machakos Senatorial seat John Katuku. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

Maendeleo Chap Chap Party has fronted former Cabinet Minister John Mutua Katuku (pictured) as it’s candidate for the Machakos Senate by-election.

In a statement, Party leader Dr Alfred Mutua said the decision was arrived at after several discussions and considerations on who was best to succeed the late Senator Boniface Kabaka.

“To continue his legacy, after extensive consultations with party leadership, aspirants and the people of Machakos, John Mutua Katuku has joined Maendeleo Chap Chap and will be the party’s candidate in the forthcoming Senate by-elections,” Mutua said.  

The party expressed confidence in Katuku, who was chosen from a pool of aspirants including former Speaker and Advocate of the High Court Bernard Mungata.

“We have chosen Mr Katuku because he is an experienced politician,” the Machakos Governor said.

Katuku is a former Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister in Kibaki’s government- (Water and Irrigation). 

The politician who holds a Master’s degree in Sociology served two terms as Mwala MP from 1998-2007.

In 2017, Katuku unsuccessfully contested the Machakos Senatorial seat.

In the 2013 General Elections, he was Wavinya Ndeti’s running mate in the gubernatorial race on a Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU) ticket.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Boniface Kabaka on December 11, 2020.

Kabaka died while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi hospital a week after he ended up in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Late Machakos Senator Boniface Kabaka. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Governor Mutua eulogised Kabaka as an astute lawyer and legislator who died “due to the effects of a stroke arising from a blood clot that has been bothering him for a while.”