Wiper holding Machakos gubernatorial primaries despite court stoppage

Machakos County deputy governor, Bernard Kiala, has obtained a court order stopping Wiper Democratic Movement Party primaries for county gubernatorial post scheduled for Sunday, April 30, effectively throwing the exercise into a limbo.

Kiala has accused Wiper Leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, for conspiring with Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCM) leader, Wavinya Ndeti, to deny him the ticket in favour of the latter.

The Wavinya Ndeti camp that includes her running mate, Peter Mathuki, and Yatta Member of Parliament, Francis Mwangangi, is, however, adamant that the nominations process will go on as planned.

A cross check by Citizen Digital revealed that voting is indeed taking place in many parts of the county.

Internal wrangling within Wiper Party is threatening to wreak the party support base in Ukambani region, with two factions seeming to conflict on all fronts.

Party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, seems to be isolated by his close allies led by party chairman, David Musila – who resigned from the party last week, National Assembly Minority Leader, Francis Nyenze, and Machakos Senator, Johnstone Muthama, all having ‘abandoned’ him.

Nyenze has come openly castigating Kalonzo for allowing himself to be arm twisted by ODM leader, Raila Odinga, in the National Super Alliance (NASA) power sharing deal.

Nyenze insists that the Wiper negotiating team in the NASA coalition had strike a deal for Kalonzo to be the flag bearer only to their surprise for Raila Odinga to be unveiled as the presidential candidate during the Thursday, April 27, event at Uhuru Park.

Nyenze said that it would difficult for Wiper brigade to sell Odinga candidature in Ukambani while all along they had fronted Musyoka as the favourite NASA candidate.

Ms Ndeti and her camp in Machakos County have faulted Nyenze for trying to mislead the NASA community, saying he (Nyenze) and Senator Muthama are to blame for the Wiper predicament since they were the lead party negotiators.

Ndeti has urged Nyenze to accept the outcome and forge forward in drumming up support for Raila-Kalonzo ticket.

Kitui Senator, David Musila, has since abdicated his post as Wiper chairman and walked out of the party citing betrayal by Kalonzo.

Musila lost the party ticket to vie for Kitui County governorship to the incumbent, Dr Julius Malombe.

He has indicated that he will go for the seat as an independent candidate.

Machakos Senator, Johnstone Muthama, has found himself at the centre of the blame game with many accusing him of misguiding Kalonzo Musyoka.

In Machakos gubernatorial race Muthama, is said to be supporting deputy governor, Bernard Kiala, setting him up against Kalonzo’s favourite, Wavinya Ndeti.