Kitui governor aspirant Julius Malombe has pledged to remain committed to inclusive leadership.
Malombe thanked Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka for giving him a direct ticket in the race against Governor Charity Ngilu.
The former governor was on Tuesday handed the ticket at the Wiper Command Centre, Nairobi.
Malombe was to battle it out with Kiema Kolonzo during the party primaries that were scheduled to take place on April 21.
The Wiper leader said the decision was pegged on a scientific popularity survey, top-level negotiation and consensus-building where religious leaders were roped in.
Malombe, in a press statement on Wednesday, said getting the ticket was a call to reclaim the sustainable development agenda for Kitui through trusted leadership.
He said the milestone belonged to the people of Kitui.
“I thank my party leader for the opportunity to fly the Wiper flag,” Malombe said.
He thanked his supporters and the people of Kitui who are passionate about the county.
Malombe welcomed all the people of Kitui to restore and reclaim the right trajectory for the county.
“Let us now be relentless in our pursuit for tried, tested and trusted leadership,” he said.
However, Kiema Kilonzo has protested against the method used to pick Malombe.
“Through very unclear and suspicious circumstances, the party officials cancelled the nominations and proceeded to issue the wiper ticket to Malombe,” Kilonzo said in a statement.
On Wednesday, he filed a complaint with the Wiper election dispute tribunal, through lawyer Eric Mutua and paid the requisite appeal fee of Sh125,000.
Kilonzo said his side was committed to seeing a better and prosperous Kitui.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
