• Governor Kibwana accuses Wiper party leader of using cronies to tarnish his name.
• The Makueni county boss also faults former MCAs for standing in the way of his development agenda.
Image: FILE
Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana has revived his rivalry with Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
He has accused Kalonzo of using his cronies to insult him in public and on social media.
Speaking on Thursday during a tour to launch water projects in Kilili-Kalamba ward, Kibwana said Kalonzo’s ‘antagonising party brigade’ has been on a malicious campaign against his achievements.
“You will not find them where people are discussing development agenda like here, but they have been moving from one funeral gathering to another across the county insulting me,” said Kibwana.
The governor wondered why Kalonzo has been against him yet it is only in Makueni where he has the full support of the Kamba community.
“I want to send a strong message to Kalonzo that he should go slow on Makueni. I have been silent but his foot soldiers have continued attacking me,” he said.
Kibwana fell out with Kalonzo after the party leader declared his support for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government without consulting other leaders from the region.
The move was of no benefit to the community, Kibwana said.
Kibwana, the Wiper party chairman, asked Kalonzo to support another Kamba leader who wants to vie for president instead of being an obstacle.
Both Kibwana and Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua have declared their interest in running for president in 2022.
In January, Kibwana threatened to resign from the party chairmanship citing frustrations with the party leadership.
According to Kibwana, the former VP is a perennial loser despite the total support he has received from the community.
“It is time he pays back, we have been behind him since 1993 when he was appointed a minister and he should now support one of us to contest the presidential seat. We shall send emissaries to take the message to him,” he said.
The second-term governor also accused former members of the county assembly of frustrating implementation of projects by his administration.
He said the MCAs are part of a group that includes Makueni MP Daniel Maanzo and Woman representative Rose Museo, being used by Musyoka to frustrate his administration’s plans.
However, former Makueni county assembly majority leader Francis Mutuku Muso dismissed the claims saying the former MCAs are independent leaders.
He said the projects Kibwana is launching were proposed by residents and approved by the first assembly.
He also denied Kibwana’s allegations that they are being used by Kalonzo to fight his administration.
“I have been in leadership for 15 years and I have been making independent decisions. I want to remind Kibwana that the second assembly is yet to show us any major project they have initiated,” he told the Star on phone.
Mutuku said Kibwana is enjoying the big name Makueni county earned through projects like the universal healthcare and Kalamba fruit processing plant, approved by the assembly in his first term.
Efforts to reach Makueni MP Daniel Maanzo and Woman representative Rose Museo were fruitless as they did not respond to calls.
(Edited by O. Owino)