- Mbeyu has been facing criticism and has many times been booed by ODM supporters during rallies, including when Raila Odinga is around.
- Last week, some ODM supporters from Malindi declared publicly that they will not vote six-piece in Kilifi.
Kilifi County Woman Representative Gertrude Mbeyu asked for forgiveness from the Malindi electorates for failing to deliver since she was elected in 2017.
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
Kilifi Woman Representative Gertrude Mbeyu has asked for forgiveness from the electorate in Malindi constituency for failing to deliver since she was elected in 2017.
She said her work was made difficult, particularly in Malindi constituency, when she went separate ways with area MP Aisha Jumwa during the Ganda ward by-elections.
Mbeyu has been facing criticism and has many times been booed by ODM supporters during rallies, including when Raila Odinga is around.
Last week, some ODM supporters from Malindi declared publicly that they will not vote six-piece in Kilifi, as they seek to replace Mbeyu with nominated Senator Christine Zawadi of Pamoja African Alliance.
“I ask you for forgiveness, my Malindi people. Your MP (Jumwa) blocked me from performing my duties in this region,” she said.
“Do you all remember the chaos during the 2019 Ganda ward by-election? I have never been able to work in Malindi.”
Mbeyu said she only managed to work closely with MCA for Kakuyuni Nixon Muramba and Shella’s Kadenge Mwathethe where she issued scholarships.
She asked the voters to elect Amina Mnyazi as MP, saying she knows her from her childhood as she taught her at Silver Sands Academy when she was in primary school.
She said voting for Zawadi of PAA is just like voting for UDA of Deputy President William Ruto in Malindi.
“If you reject me for PAA, then you will be voting for UDA, which signed a pact with PAA. Forgive me, for all humans are not perfect and I, Mbeyu, I’m also not perfect,” she said.
She spoke on Saturday during the Azimio la Umoja rally which was led by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Jubilee deputy party leader Naomi Shaban.
Joho, Shaban, and ODM governor hopeful Gideon Mung’aro also defended Mbeyu and asked voters to elect her for the second time to give Raila enough foot soldiers.
Shaban pleaded with the Kilifi electorates not to reject the Woman Rep for the mistakes, saying she would change.
“I ask my brother Joho to allow me to come back to Malindi and organise town hall meetings with women in Malindi to ask for forgiveness for Mbeyu,” she said.
Joho also took the opportunity to endorse all ODM candidates from Mung’aro, Senator Stewart Madzayo who is vying as senator for the third time, Mnyazi, and other candidates.
He called on residents to vote six-piece as that will enable Raila to have enough strength in Parliament.
“I hereby allow my elder sister to come back with Mbeyu to ask for forgiveness, on that day there will be a meal to be shared as a sign of reconciliation,” he said.
Mung’aro also thanked the people of Malindi for accepting to forgive Mbeyu and asked them to vote for six-piece.
He said in his manifesto he plans to spur economic growth by investing in agriculture, reviving tourism, and tapping into the blue economy among other key development plans.
-Edited by SKanyara