Incumbent Governor Julius Malombe has a tough job defending his seat, considering the calibre of his rivals.
Senator David Musila and former Lands CS Charity Ngilu, two well-known and seasoned politicians, have expressed their interest to unseat Malombe.
Musila, 74, has been in elective leadership an uninterrupted since being voted as Mwingi South MP, on the Kanu ticket in 1997. Ngilu,65, the Narc party leader, has served since she was elected Kitui Central MP in 1992.
The duo will use their experience to turn the tables on Malombe, who banks on the incumbency and his development record.
A possible new entrant could be Deputy Governor Pennina Malonza. Last Friday, she hinted at throwing her hat into the ring.
Wiper party primaries factor
As the clock ticks towards the August 8 polls, the battle is crystalising between Musila, the Wiper party national chairman and Governor Malombe. Wiper is the dominant party in Kitui. It is apparent that the Wiper nominee stands a high chance of becoming governor.
“Whoever wins the Wiper ticket will have a head start. The competition for the ticket will be tough because it is likely to determine who becomes the next governor of Kitui,” Kitui politician Josphat Mulyungi said.
Musila’s candidacy enjoys the backing of all the eight MPs in Kitui, led by National Assembly Minority leaders Francis Nyenze.
The legislators are expected to mobilise their supporters to help Musila get the Wiper ticket. A number of Kitui’s 56 MCAs have also thrown their weight behind the senator
Musila has, for over a year now, been crisscrossing the county to popularise his bid. He has campaigned on the platform of “the peoples’ candidate for governor.”
On the other hand, Malombe will depend on his incumbency. As such, he will hinge his reelection projects that his administration has implemented across the county.
Malombe enjoys the support of the majority of MCAs lead by Majority leader Jacob Maundu. They are campaigning for Malombe on the grounds of having ensured equitable distribution of development across the county. The governor says a survey carried out recently by Infotrak pollster indicated 85 per cent Kitui residents approved of his leadership. According to the research, residents said their lives had improved since Malombe became governor.
The incumbent says he has the support from the youth, elders, teachers, women, traders and businessmen, and boda boda operators across the county. The Wiper nominations are however a hurdle.
Until early this week, the governor mobilised Kitui residents to register as Wiper members in readiness for the nominations.
However, the Wiper NEC last Tuesday ruled that Kenyans seeking to participate in the Wiper nominations will only be required to hold a national ID.
“Malombe knows too well, it will be a big embarrassment to lose at the nominations. He is thus unlikely to spare any effort to ensure he wins it. It is do-or-die for him,” Mulyungi said.
He said should the Wiper primaries be bungled, it will be to the advantage of Ngilu, who is likely to reap big from the fallout.
“Any distraught loser after the nominations is likely to lead his supporters to Ngilu’s camp, which will make it easier for her at the ballot. She is a suave grassroots politician, who has over the years marshalled a substantial vote bloc. A little boost from a break-away Wiper faction will make her win easy,” Mulyungi said.
Aspirants counter-accusations
So intensive are the primaries that the two, Malombe and Musila, are making unsavoury remarks about each other.
Musila has accused Malombe and his administration of imprudent use of the Sh30 billion it has received from the National Treasury since 2013. Poverty is rife and no tangible development has been initiated.
He further claims that corruption had entrenched itself in the county government, as officers loot from the public coffers. But Malombe has always denied the allegations, terming them “wild, unfounded and baseless”.
Disparaging Musila’s claims, Malombe has always dismissed Musila as being made blind by his greed for power, to the extent that he cannot see the various water, roads, education, trade and commerce, health and empowerment and poverty eradication programmes projects he has initiated.
Ngilu's corruption allegations
The governor has also dismissed Ngilu as one who would not be accepted by Kitui people, having been sacked as a CS by President Uhuru Kenyatta for corruption allegations.
Since she was relieved of her duties as Lands CS in March 2015, Ngilu has been on a campaign trail. She has held strategic meetings across the county to convince the residents to elect her governor.
A smart political operator, Ngilu has also held meetings with Kitui teachers’ leadership, former civic leaders, church leaders, former chiefs and assistant chiefs among other leaders in an attempt to seek their suppor.
She says her election will engender transformative leadership, poverty eradication and improvement of the general welfare of the residents.
Ngilu has pledged to ensure provision of water for irrigation and domestic use in all parts of the county, and introduce mechanised agriculture to end the recurrent famine. She says women will be economically empowered and poverty will end.
Regional politics
It is certain that the next governor will depend on the outcome of the Wiper nominations. If Malombe wins against Musila, there a high likelihood that he will retain his seat due to his and his Wiper party popularity.
In that case, the duel between Malombe and Ngilu will be determined by the voting patterns in areas outside Kitui Central subcounty, where they both hail from. Ngilu comes from Tungutu village, which neighbours Malombe’s Ithiani. This will spilt their home votes.
On the other hand, should Musila edge Malombe out at the primaries and later face Ngilu, the equation will be very different. Musila hails from the larger Mwingi area of Kitui, while Ngilu hails from the Kitui.
Although, the county is generally a Wiper zone, should the more populous Kitui region decide to back their own, Ngilu.
Such a move would complicate the equation for Musila. The senator will have to work harder to convince the people of Kitui why they should abandon their own.