Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi calls on residents to vote out Jubilee allies

Kilifi county Governor Amason Kingi (seated) flanked by Member of County Assembly for Kakuyuni ward Nixon Muramba (left) and nominated MCA Kilifi county Kingi Ngombo (right) address journalists in his office [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

Governor Amason Kingi has waged political war against Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro and his Kilifi South counterpart Mustafa Idi.

The governor wants the electorates to vote out the two legislators in next year’s elections. The ODM county chairman said the MPs had betrayed the party ideals and those who elected them.

The two ODM legislators have been warming up to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party, with Mr Mung’aro planning to wrest the governor’s post from Kingi on a Jubilee ticket. The governor said voters did not deserve betrayal by the leaders they elected, saying the two had changed goal posts without justification and accused them of pursuing personal goals.

“As the chairman of ODM in Kilifi County,  I am warning the two rebellious MPs to be prepared to face the electorate at the ballot next year as they have breached the contract they signed with the people,” said Kingi.

He was was speaking at Malindi stadium on Saturday when he addressed supporters during the homecoming ceremony for Women MP Aisha Jumwa, who was recently arrested and charged with hate speech.

COUNTER ACCUSATIONS

Reacting to the governor’s call, Mung’aro accused him and his administration of engaging in grand corruption. The legislator, who was removed as the ODM party minority chief whip

and later ousted as the chairman of Coast Parliamentary Group, has ditched ODM to support the Jubilee administration.

“ODM has no money for development as it is not in power and for my

people to get the development they desire, I decided to work with

the Jubilee administration,” said Mung’aro.

The MP further disclosed that ODM has “its people” and expressed fears there would be no fair nomination between him and Governor Kingi during primaries to unveil the ODM candidate in the next elections.

“There is no democracy in ODM as that party has its owners and that could make it difficult for me to fairly go into the nominations with the sitting governor,” said Mungaro.

But on his part, Kingi insists ODM observes high standard of democracy.

He said leaders will be judged and get support based on their developed record while in leadership.

“People are watching and by now, they know who is working and who is playing politics of hatred. They will use that as a gauging tool to get their leaders in the coming general elections,” said Kingi.

The Jubilee administration, he said, was trying to use political leaders from the Opposition by giving them jobs so as to get their support.

“Kenyans have the right to get development from all corners regardless of tribal and political stand as per the current Constitution, and tricks by the Jubilee government to woo people will not work,” Kingi said.