MCAs allied to Embu Governor Martin Wambora have rejected his preferred successor, deputy governor David Kariuki.
The ward-representatives want former senator Lenny Kivuti to take over from Wambora.
Kivuti lost to Wambora with fewer than 1,000 votes and his petition was thrown out for failing to raise issues requiring the application or interpretation of the Constitution.
In his first term, Wambora survived several attempts by the MCA to impeach him.
The MCAs from across the county have been accompanying Kivuti to public meetings to support his bid for the top seat.
Last Sunday Majority Leader Michael Njeru and three other MCAs were at Catholic and Presbyterian church functions with Kivuti.
The others were Peter Muriithi (Mbeti North) and Fredrick Mugendi (Gaturi South), John Gichovi (Nginda).
The MCAs lauded the successes of Wambora's second term, citing several accomplished projects across the county.
They commended Kivuti for supporting Wambora despite losing to him in the last general election.
“We have said Wambora should go home well after leaving a legacy. But here we have the next governor whom we support to take over to continue with the work,” Gichovi said at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church.
Gichovi said he appreciated Kivuti's truce with Governor Wambora.
He said Kivuti had not undermined Wambora’s work hence the success of county government projects, some of which are funded by the World Bank.
Kivuti said he did not see the need for continuing the rivalry with Wambora and had decided to support him to work without problems in his last term.
He thanked all the Embu residents who voted for him in the last election.
He said he was sure residents would elect him as the next governor.
Prior to the last elections, Wambora went against pressure to appoint a running mate from the Mbeere community and plucked Kariuki from his CEO position at Winnas Sacco.
Kariuki, like Wambora, is from the Embu community.
Wambora said that he would nurture Kariuki to replace him when county chief retires.
Wambora has given Kariuki the responsibilities of monitoring all the counties projects in all the departments in preparation for his takeover.
The deputy governor has told his opponents not to underrate him noting that it’s too early to start campaigns.
Local politicians will be surprised when he turns tables on them when campaign times come.
(Edited by O. Owino)
