The scramble for elective seats held by Wiper rebels in Ukambani has begun, as the party moves to ensure defiant leaders are sent home next year.
The highly contested seats are the Machakos governor held by Alfred Mutua and Mwingi Central parliamentary seat. Joe Mutambu is the Mwingi Central MP.
Mutua will face Deputy Governor Bernard Kiala, former Kathiani MP Wavinya Ndeti and East African Legislative Assembly member Peter Mathuki.
In Mwingi Central, Mutambu will face former Law Society of Kenya president Eric Mutua and former Public Works PS Gideon Mulyungi, who are the leading contenders.
The former LSK president is said to have the backing of Kitui Senator David Musila, while Mulyungi has Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s blessings.
Mulyungi has been traversing the constituency, urging voters to elect him. But Mutua said he is not interested in early campaigns.
Mathuki says he wants to unite and rally residents behind the party. “For me, it is about uniting the community with our party. My intention is to bring everyone on board in line with the Wiper manifesto,” he said.
“Some aspirants are driven by bitterness and revenge, which we can’t afford to entertain going forward. Our people require urgent solutions to get out of poverty.”
In Mwingi Central, lawyer Mutua is considered Mutambu’s greatest challenger. Political pundits say Mutambu will lose the seat for ditching Wiper. “People are happy with developments he (Mutambu) has initiated. But he will be rejected, because most people who campaigned for him are Kalonzo’s supporters and are unhappy with him for abandoning the Wiper leader,” James Mwoni, a teacher in Mwingi Central, said.
Other MPs facing Wiper’s wrath for working with Jubilee include, Mwingi North’s Munuve Mati and Richard Makenga (Kaiti) for working with Jubilee.