By OUR REPORTER.
Malombe is the People’s Choice, Kitui tells NGILU
The Professionals from Kitui have called on the Azimio flagbearer Rt Hon Raila Odinga to intervene and stop outgoing county boss hon charity NGILU from meddling with Kitui affairs.
The majority of leaders see Ngilu’s support of Musila for the Kitui gubernatorial seat as a slap in the face for Raila’s position to endorse former governor Julius Malombe who is seeking reelection in the August 9th general election.
On Saturday, Ngilu endorsed Musila’s candidature during the burial event in Mwingi and offered to support him both in kind and in material to ensure he wins the August polls.
The leaders said since the outgoing governor is not defending her seat as she has been promised a national job by Raila, her involvement in the Kitui governor race worked against the Azimio unity in Kitui.
In a statement issued on Sunday through their coordinator Michael Kivoto, the professionals from Kitui South said Ngilu’s machination was wrong as she was spoiling for the Wiper governor candidate Julius Malombe.
Kitui south leaders and professionals want Azimio One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga to stop Governor Charity Ngilu from meddling in Kitui gubernatorial campaigns.
In a press statement issued a day after Ngilu endorsed Malombe’s rival in the Kitui gubernatorial race, David Musila who is on a Jubilee ticket, the professionals said Ngilu appears to have betrayed the collective stand of Raila and Wiper leaders Kalonzo Musyoka.
Noting that during his last campaign visit to Kitui Raila had publicly endorsed Malombe for the gubernatorial seat, they raised concern that Ngilu had disowned Raila’s promise to give her a position at the national level.
Raila had asked the Kitui people to elect Malombe as their next governor as he had observed that he was very popular. He in the same vein said he would take Ngilu with him to the national level and give her a job.
But on Saturday speaking in Mwingi Central during the burial of her party’s Kitui senatorial aspirant Muinde Mutukaa, Ngilu said Musila, who also hails from the Mwingi, was the best to take over from her as governor.
Ngilu vowed to support Musila both in kind and material to ensure he wins the Kitui seat during the August 9 general election.
Her announcement appears to have angered the professionals and leaders who are die-hard supporters of Malombe from the Mutomo sub-county and the entire county.
In a statement released by Kivoto, the professionals noted that when Raila visited Kitui a month ago, he was clear that the Azimio coalition preferred Malombe for governor. They questioned why Ngilu was going against Raila’s position.
“Raila told us publicly that he had removed Ngilu from county politics and endorsed Dr Malombe. Why is she now undermining Raila’s position by campaigning for Musila,” said the statement?
It added that the outgoing governor should not be allowed to confuse the county by funding Musila campaigns as she threatened during a funeral in Mwingi.
“Raila must call Ngilu to order because what she is doing is to undermine Kalonzo and Raila’s position on the Kitui governor’s race. She must not be allowed to confuse the county,” further said the statement.
The leaders noted that Ngilu was rejected by residents and out of fear of being humiliated at the ballot, opted to quit the race.
They rubbished the alliance between her and Musila, saying it is meant to deny the people of Kitui a chance to elect their favourite governor.
They also said it was clear that Ngilu wanted to extend her leadership through a proxy by installing a weak candidate who will protect her.
Ends/
