The much-publicised Tuesday meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and a section of Ukambani professionals is part of a wider Jubilee plot to isolate CORD co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka.
Sources privy to the State House visit, said the President and his deputy are determined to bag the Lower Eastern vote through a newfound strategy of directly reaching out to the people through professionals and public appointees.
Partly incorporated into the plan are all MPs allied to Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap movement, senior civil servants and presidential appointees, the provincial administration and a section of politically anointed clergy.
The new strategy has created confusion in Ukambani, with differences playing out right in front of President Kenyatta as Mutua and Kitui Central MP Joe Mutambu jostled over who was in charge of the thousands/
The wave of State House meetings has also renewed discussions as to their place and utility in a devolved governance structure.
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“Although some of them were involved in planning, none of the two groups was at the heart of conceptualisation of this initiative. They had no idea. At the heart of this initiative is Health CS Cleopha Mailu and a horde of professionals, public appointees and high profile non-political fellows from the region,” a source involved in the planning said.
According to the source with strong connections to State House, the group was cautious about incorporating the region’s elected leadership to avert a fallout. They nevertheless had little choice but to engage the MPs.
During informal meetings ahead of the Tuesday event, MPs who attended chose Mutambu as their focal point while the professionals chose University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor Peter Mbithi as their point-man.
“Forget about the long stories. The long and short of it is that the horse has bolted. The only thing Kalonzo can do, the only prudent thing to do now, is to follow us because we have moved with the people. Clearly, we are not backing off,” said Mwala MP Vincent Musau (CCU), a close ally of Governor Mutua told The Standard on Sunday.
“We have no problem with him joining us and we will accord him the respect he deserves as a long serving national and regional leader,” he told The Standard on Sunday.
Mbooni MP Kisoi Munyao was booed after he tried to play down the role of politics in the meeting. Pro-Chap Chap people shot him down declaring they have already made a choice to back Jubilee.
During the meeting, Musau said, MPs were offered what he called a “blank cheque” by the President and his deputy. The blank cheque entailed asking CSs, paraded before them, for prioritisation of development projects of their choice.
“During that single sitting, I secured Sh6.4 billion worth of projects for my people - Sh800 million for piped water in my constituency, Sh52 million for rehabilitation of existing water system, Sh55 million for building a dam in each and every ward and Sh5.5 billion for a major irrigation project. And these are commitments made live in front of the people and the President,” Musau said.
Wrong impression
Each of the MPs present at the meeting — John Munuve (Mwingi North), Regina Ndambuki (Kilome), Munyao (Mbooni), Patrick Musimba (Kibwezi West), Richard Makenga (Kaiti), Francis Mwangangi (Yatta), Itwiku Mbai (Masinga), Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town) and Mutambo — got as much as they asked.
Among the deals allegedly “sealed” at the meeting include full development of the stalled Konza Technopolis, fast tracking of Last Mile electricity connection programme, a host of road construction projects for all the counties and construction of libraries among others.
“Some of these leaders who play politics of poverty will undoubtedly try to plant stories of discord among the strong unity we have. These are the fellows opposed to the improvement of the welfare of our people because it is easier to rule and confuse poor and dependent people,” Mutua said.
However, Wiper Chairman David Musila believes what took place at State House on Monday was political fraud and conman-ship.
Musila, who led elected leaders from Kitui to a more or less similar meeting at State House last month, says the President was conned in broad daylight.
“The President was given the wrong impression that those who spoke before him had the mandate of the Kamba people. Nothing could be far from the truth,” Musila said.
The meeting was opposed sorely by other Wiper diehards like Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior. He dismissed the group as a bunch of self-seekers out to use ignorant masses to cut deals with the Jubilee government.
“What I am seeing is a gimmick by Governor Mutua to popularise his Chap Chap movement ahead of the next elections. The meeting had nothing to do with the interests of the Kamba community. It was about a gang of leaders whose motivation is largely to reinvent themselves through the Jubilee administration,” Mutula Jnr scoffed.
The Senator, who is also the Wiper deputy chairman, said he was approached by an MP to join the team but he declined.
Governor Kibwana on the other hand insisted that the Kamba community should be respected, noting that the community’s unity was intact and will not be shaken by self-seeking politicians.
“It is unfortunate the event organisers wish to make it appear as if it had the blessings of Wiper and Muungano party because (Senator) Musila led a prior one to the President the other day,” Kibwana said.
The governor said the Jubilee government cannot successfully negotiate with the Lower Eastern bloc without engaging Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, all the region’s governors, senators and woman representatives.
The State House meetings nevertheless seem to be bearing fruits for the largely marginalised area. On Thursday, Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) finally placed a newspaper tender notice calling on qualified bidders to apply for stage improvement of Kibwezi –Kitui (B7) Road.
The poor state of the road saw Senator Musila lead Ukambani MPs and residents in a demonstration which was disrupted by police. It also informed the subsequent delegation of Kitui leaders to State House. Bids for the road will be closed on May 26.
In Makueni, the County Assembly had to be adjourned on Tuesday as most of the MCAs were carted away to Nairobi.
Mr John Mwenze, the assembly’s Minority Leader said the House lacked quorum since only 12 out of 47 MCAs showed up. Mr King’oo Makau, also from Makueni and one of the ‘professionals’ said they were each given Sh2,000 while MCAs were said to have pocketed Sh5,000 each.
Dr Temi Mutia cautions “political greenhorns” against State House visits.
According to Mutia, the promises made under such euphoric circumstances tend to be hot air and end up crushing such greenhorns’ political careers.
“My other concern is that the country is slowly drifting back to the era of roadside policy proclamations where sound economic planning and management counts for nothing,” Dr Temi said.
