By Mutuku Mwangangi
Ukambani governors, Dr. Alfred Mutua and Prof. Kivutha Kibwana, have hinted at an alliance to consolidate their political base as they both aim for the presidential seat in the 2022 General Election.
The two leaders on Tuesday said that they will commission a national survey to establish who between them is more popular and electable as a presidential candidate.
Dr. Mutua and Prof Kibwana, who run Machakos and Makueni counties respectively and are serving their second and final term in office, have been a fierce critic of Ukamba political supremo, Kalonzo Musyoka.
The duo have been critical of Musyoka, a former vice-president and now the leader of the Wiper Democratic Movement, and have been working tirelessly to loosen his grip on Ukambani voters.
Their hint at a possible political alliance was announced a day after the three Ukambani governors, Charity Ngilu –herself a former presidential candidate –, Dr. Mutua and Prof Kibwan, settled on the Maendeleo Chap Chap as the chairman of the South Eastern Development bloc.
The bloc brings together the governors of the three Ukambani counties to foster a common approach to development.
At the meeting held at new Machakos County headquarters, the three governors called for the divorcing of development matters from regional politics.
In the new arrangement, Ngilu, who has been drumming support for the Building Bridges Initiative in the lower eastern region (Ukambani), was tasked with the liaison role with the national government.
On the other hand, Prof Kibwana is to steer the legal tenets and external partnerships docket of the Ukambani development bloc.
Over the next one year, Dr. Mutua, who is the party leader of the Maendeleo Chap Chap, will likely take advantage of the opportunity as chairman of the bloc to endear himself with more voters in Makueni and Kitui counties.
