Why I will not associate myself with Governor Alfred Mutua, Senator Muthama says

UDA chairman Johnstone Muthama addresses a Kenya Kwanza rally at Mathira, Nyeri county on March 7, 2022. [Mose Sammy, Standard]

Former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama has revealed why he did not attend Kenya Kwanza Alliance’s unveiling of Governor Alfred Mutua in Tala on Tuesday.

Muthama, who is the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chairman says it was hard for him to oppose Mutua publicly because they are in the same political formation.

This comes barely a week since the Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC) party leader dumped the Raila-led Azimio-One Kenya coalition for DP Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

In an exclusive interview with KTN News on Wednesday night, the former lawmaker who is now eyeing governorship reiterated that he will not associate himself with Mutua in the course of his campaigns.

” I was born and raised in Tala but I decided not to attend the event. It was on purpose because Mutua and I have leadership problems that date back to almost ten years ago,” Muthama explained in Swahili.

“For the last decade, I have been having problems with him (Mutua). 

During the 2013 General Election, Muthama and Mutua were elected senator and governor for Machakos respectively under the Wiper party ticket.

However, Mutua decamped to his own new Maendeleo Chap Chap Party in 2015, a party whose ticket he was re-elected on.

During the interview, Muthama accused Mutua of failing to fulfil the promises he made to Machakos County's electorate. 

“He (Governor Mutua) went around saying how he had connected water to all Masaku households. To date, nothing has been done,” the UDA chairman alleged.

Then went on “The same applies to water dams, farming tractors, police houses, security cameras and so many more,”

Muthama said he can only associate himself with the Machakos governor in public if he agrees to publicly retract the communication he has been making to the county residents.

“If we talk and he agrees to retract the statements he has been making to the people of Machakos, it is okay, “Muthama said.

Mutua however downplayed the allegations. He says his priority is to campaign for DP Ruto, adding he would not be distracted.

“Muthama is the chairman of UDA. I am not in UDA, I just joined the Kenya Kwanza Alliance and I am focused on Ruto's presidency, not sideshows,” Mutua responded on KTN NewsHour.

After being elected senator in 2013, Muthama did not seek re-election in 2017 as he was actively campaigning for the NASA coalition.

He reportedly fell out with the leadership of the Wiper party and formed the UDA party, which is now led by Deputy President William Ruto.

In the August polls, Muthama is running for Machakos Governor on a UDA ticket and is one of the key supporters of DP Ruto’s presidential bid.