Kethi Kilonzo to vie for Makueni senate seat

By Daniel Nzia

The daughter of the late Makueni County Senator Mutula Kilonzo, Kethi will contest the seat.

Sources close her family confirmed Kethi who rose to fame during the recent presidential petition case against Uhuru Kenyatta gave in following intense talks with top Wiper and CORD leaders.

“I can confidently confirm to you Kethi will be running for the Makueni County seat that fell vacant following the death of her father”, said our source who did not want to be named.

The news of Kethi’s declaration that she will contest the seat during the July 22 by election spread in the entire Makueni County like bush fire.

Local FM radio station announced the news that left Mbooni and Makueni county residents at large with a lot of excitement as the warmly welcomed her long waited decision to run.

Residents thanked Kethi for making the board move to succeed her late father whom they voted for overwhelmingly in the March 4 general election.

Makueni Deputy Governor Ms Adelina Mwau termed Kethi’s entry into the race as good news for the county.

She exuded confidence that the Makueni people will vote for her in large numbers saying “we are going to be the first county to elect a young women to the Senate”.

Ms Mwau said the governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana and other elected leaders in the county will support Kethi to capture the seat.

The Wiper organizing secretary and Kisau/Kiteta Ward Representative Jackson Ngovi welcomed Kethi’s decision to run adding she has done the people of Mbooni constituency and the Makueni County proud by agreeing to contest.

“I want to appeal to Makueni voters to come out in large numbers and vote for Kethi in large numbers in the by election in honour of her late father”, he added.

A NARC official Davies Musau admitted that the entry of the late Mutula’s daughter would complicate the political equation in the run up to the by election.   

Kethi will now battle it out with whoever the Jubilee Coalition will front between former MPs Prof. Philip Kaloki, Gideon Ndambuki and John Harun Mwau.

The Standard established that the three spend the better part of Thursday consulting over who will be the Coalitions flag bearer.

The late Mutula passed on on April 27 at his Kwa Kyelu Ranch home in circumstances that left the entire country dumbfounded.