Politics

Kalonzo, Kibwana to face off in village politics

Published

3 years ago

June 24, 2021

Wiper Leader Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka and Makueini Governor Kibutha Kibwana during a past consultative meeting [p/courtesy]

The rivalry between Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Makueni governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana is set to move a notch higher following the death of Nguu/Masumba ward MCA Harris Ngui who perished last week after the car he was driving collided head-on with a lorry along Mombasa-Nairobi highway.

Ngui who died on the spot was elected on a Wiper ticket just like governor Kibwana who has fallen out with Kalonzo and is expected to back a candidate from a rival party in the coming by-election to replace the deceased MCA.

Makueni county police commander Joseph Ole Naipeyan in his report said that the lady died from serious injuries on her way to Machakos Level 5 Hospital.

“Salama Police Station is reporting a fatal injury road traffic accident which occurred today 15/06/2021 at about 1830hrs within ACK area along Mombasa Nairobi highway,” the report read in part.

Nguu/Masumba ward is in Kibwezi West, Makueni county which voted with Kalonzo in the 2017 elections but the by-election will present a proper platform for both Kalonzo and Kibwana to face off a head of 2022 polls where both of them have expressed quests for presidency.

The late Nguu/Masumba ward MCA, Harris Ngui [p/courtesy]

Kalonzo who served as the country’s tenth vice president was quick to send condolences to the family of the late MCA saying that his Wiper party had lost a brilliant mind. Ngui was elected MCA in 2017 on the Wiper ticket after garnering 4,054 votes and beating Timothy Maneno, an independent candidate who came a distant second with some 1,169 votes.

The coming by-election will be a clear showcase of Kalonzo-Kibwana rivalry over Ukambani supremacy battles after cracks emerged in Kalonzo’s Wiper party ahead of the 2022 elections.

The split in the biggest political party in the region deepened after Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana accused Kalonzo Musyoka of hiding behind the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) to stoke political wars kill to dim his political star.

Prof Kibwana has over the time asked Makueni residents to rethink their support for Kalonzo whom he claims does not value the region.

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