Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka is not presidential material because he has no firm stand, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has said.
Mutua said Kenya’s commander-in-chief of the Defence Forces must be a leader with a firm stand.
“You cannot order the Defence Forces to shoot and then go back on your order and say ‘Don’t shoot’, when the bullet has already been fired,” said Mutua on Sunday.
He spoke in Mombasa while addressing the press.
Kalonzo is said to have supported calls for a referendum so as to increase President Uhuru’s term limit.
The Wiper Party leader, however, denied this saying he was misquoted.
“When I say I mean it. When I said I have forgiven my brother Uhuru I meant it but I did not say President Uhruu Kenyatta should have a third term,” said Kalonzo.
Politicians allied to the president have been rooting for a referendum so as to bring back the position of the Prime Minister and his deputies.
Others do not want him to retire from politics after his second term ends in 2022.
They instead want a constitutional change to remove the presidential term limit.
However, Mutua said though he is one of the proponents of constitutional changes to re-introduce the Prime Minister and at least two Deputy Prime Minister positions, he does not support the removal of presidential or governor term limits.
“We don’t want to go back to dictatorship,” said Mutua.
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He noted Kenyans have paid the ultimate price to remove dictatorship through the one-party system that had been in place during the Kanu regime.
He said the ‘sickness’ of African leaders clinging onto power has impoverished the continent and Kenya must not go the same route.
“It denies the youth a chance to lead this country,” he noted.
The Governor said since Kalonzo has shown he is not interested in the presidency anymore in 2022, he should instead support him for the seat.
“I am now the only leader from Eastern region who has declared an interest in the presidency. The region should support me,” said Mutua.
There has been no love lost between Mutua and Kalonzo.
The Machakos Governor has teamed up with his Kitui and Makueni counterparts Charity Ngilu and Kivutha Kibwana to fight the former VP.
All, however, say there is nothing personal and they have no problems with each other.
On Sunday, Mutua said: “We have no problem with Kalonzo. We have a problem with politics of poverty.”
The three governors accuse Kalonzo of impoverishing Ukambani region over the years, for his own selfish benefits.
“It is easier to rule over the poor than the rich. I want to ensure the people in Ukambani are rich,” said Mutua on Sunday.
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