Former Kitui governor Julius Malombe who lost to Charity Ngilu has hinted at challenging the incumbent who is facing hard political times in the county.
Ngilu trounced both Malombe and former senator David Musila to clinch the seat on her Narc party ticket party courtesy of her down-to- earth politics which endeared her to voters as opposed to Musila and Malombe who were considered elite and bossy.
But pundits say, Malombe must hundle the arrogance of members of his family moreso the former First Lady if he is to win back confidence of voters.
Muthama
Ngilu also rode on her past development record when she served as Kitui Central MP since the advent of multiparty politics. During her tenure in parliament she also served as minister for Water and Health.During the first term of Jubilee government, she served as Lands minister shortly before being sacked by Uhuru Kenyatta.
Her exit from cabinet where she used to ride high forced her to set eyes on Kitui governor’s seat then held by Malombe who got it courtesy of Kalonzo Musyoka who fully backed him during the last nominations. Malombe was considered a career civil servant who was finding it difficult to balance the political interests of those who helped him win the seat.
Although credited with initiating development projects across the vast county, he fell out with MPs and influential leaders from the county who plotted his ouster.
Musila
The powerful anti-Malombe forces towards the 2017 general elections rotated around Ngilu and then senator Musila who had also declared interest for the seat.
Malombe and Musila participated in the shambolic Wiper party primaries where Musila believed he won. However in order for Kalonzo to stand with his only loyal governor from Ukambani, he prevailed on the party to hand over the certificate to Malombe. The move forced Kalonzo’s old ally Musila to defect and contest the seat on an independent ticket.The fierce fight pitting two Kalonzo loyalists played to the advantage of Ngilu who had stuck with her Narc party. In order to cool down her perennial wars with Kalonzo in the region and appease Kitui voters, Ngilu threw her weight behind Nasa coalition where Kalonzo was Raila Odinga’s runningmate and aggressively campaigned for the Kalonzo.
The move to mend fences with Kalonzo helped Ngilu win Wiper party dierhands and completely neutralise Malombe and Musila.However matters started going bad for Ngilu upon assuming office with allegations that she had staffed her office with non-Kitui employees and key advisers at the expense of locals.
The key advisers and aides majority immediate family members are believed to have alienated the county boss from voters. The county has also faced cases of massive corruption under her watch. According to locals much of her campaign promises failed with the much publicised ndengu revolution proving a big let down.
Malombe
The project which went down with Sh300million public money did not benefit farmers as the county failed to secure the market for the produce.Ngilu has also fallen out with MCAs majority who come from Wiper party.She also does not see-eye-to-eye with the assembly speaker George Ndoto.
Ndoto and Ngilu rivalry dates back to 1992 elections where she unseated him as Kitui Central MP.
Ngilu has also staged war with Kalonzo by teaming up with both Makueni governor Kivutha Kibwana and Alfred Mutua of Machakos who are now leading anti-Kalonzo battalion in the region. Kalonzo on his side has vowed to make Ngilu a one time governor by bringing Malombe back to the throne.
Kalonzo has hinted to his close allies that he still has soft spot for Malombe who has proved loyal to him and the party. Initially he had settled on his close ally Mwingi Central MP Gedion Mulyungi to take on Ngilu come 2022 but has prevailed on the first time MP to defend his seat. Malombe and Ngilu hail from Kitui Central with the deciding votes likely to be in Mwingi.
Mutula
Malombe has already set a secretariat ready to recapture the seat with Ngilu feeling the heat on the ground. During the BBI rally held in Kitui stadium, Ngilu’s decision to work directly with Raila Odinga sidelining Kalonzo who eventually attended rubbed the Wiper leader the wrong way.
To stay relevant in Kenyan politics, she has set her eyes on the deputy prime minister’s post once the executive structure is changed.To achieve her ambitions, she has positioned herself as Raila pointwoman in the region a position she wants to use to bargain with the former prime minister if his side carries the day.
Kiema
Raila on his side has promised her the post with a condition that she fights Kalonzo in Ukambani. Kalonzo’s marriage with Raila is on its death bed now that Raila has disowned the 2017 MoU that had conditioned him to back Kalonzo come 2022. However the Ukambani governors’ alliance that was united against Kalonzo has fallen apart with Mutua now trooping back to Kalonzo.Kibwana is fully behind William Ruto while Ngilu is backing Raila. Former Machakos senator Johnson Muthama has has moved to Ruto side after tycoon Peter Muthoka decided to throw his wealth behind Kalonzo. Talk is rife, Muthoka is eyeing a governorship seat and is laying ground with Kalonzo support.
Currently Muthama is facing serious financial woes after the state cancelled his mining licences and has been lobbying Ruto to help him get back. Kenya Revenue Authority is on his neck after Muthama started dealing with Ruto.
The Kitui race will prove a complicated one for the incumbent Ngilu with more candidates expressing intrest. The name of Kenya’s envoy to Uganda Kiema Kilonzo has also featured in the 2022 matrix.
Kiema factor is gaining ground after he divorced Ruto to Wiper. Pundits say much will depend on who Kalonzo will back considering that he is still the Kamba political kingpin and also the fact that he comes from the county.
