The Maendeleo Chap Chap candidate in the Machakos senatorial by-election John Katuku has gotten a boost after ODM declared its support.
ODM Machakos county branch chairman Peter Mutuku announced they will rally their members to campaign for Katuku and ensure he wins in the poll on March 18.
“Today we had a special meeting convened to make our own decision on the by-elections in Machakos county,” Mutuku said.
Mutuku said as a party they had met several times in their Machakos office and analysed all the candidates.
“We have found a better replacement for Senator Boniface Kabaka and this is Katuku. We are proposing that Katuku be supported by all Machakos county residents,” he said.
He said the decision by the ODM Machakos branch to support the MCC candidate was reached after several meetings involving the party’s county coordinating committee and its eight subcounty committees.
Mutuku said they were supporting the MCC candidate since Jubilee had thrown its weight behind Wiper candidate Agnes Kavindu.
“We have concluded Katuku will be our candidate as Jubilee is supporting the Wiper candidate,” he said.
He said they hadn’t defected from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM but just joined their colleagues in Maendeleo Chap Chap.
Mutuku said MCC also supported ODM's candidate in the Kibera by-election after former MP Kenneth Okoth died.
“This is the time to repay and thank MCC for supporting us in Kibera. This friendship between us will not end after they win. We will put in more efforts so Katuku wins.”
Katuku thanked ODM for endorsing him. He said he won’t let Machakos residents down.
“I have what it takes. I have been a minister, assistant minister, MP alongside holding several other professional leadership positions. I will use my experience to source for funds for the county’s development,” Katuku said.
He criticised those slamming his candidacy and calling him Governor Alfred Mutua's "stooge". Mutua is leader of MCC.
He said his political rivals were trying to finish him politically and keep him from winning.
“It is the role of MCAs to question ministers and governors on any misappropriation and corruption in county governments, not senators. President Uhuru Kenyatta is from Kiambu county and was elected on a Jubilee ticket. The Kiambu governor was also elected on Jubilee, senator and MCAs too,” Katuku said.
Katuku said the narrative that he won’t be able to deliver since he belongs to the same party with the Machakos governor was incorrect.
He said in Makueni county, the governor was elected on a Wiper ticket, as were the senator and majority of the MCAs.
Katuku also got political support after Lawrence Mathuki, father of the acting Wiper secretary general and former EALA MP Peter Mathuki, endorsed him at Mutua’s office in Machakos town.
(Edited by V. Graham)
