Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has adopted a reconciliatory political approach in his efforts to deliver the nearly two million Kamba vote to President William Ruto's 2027 basket.
Dr Mutua has called for respect for Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka , who enjoys unrivalled support in the region.
The CS made the call during a leaders meeting which he convened at Maanzoni Lodge in Machakos County.
"I want all of us to accord Kalonzo Musyoka the respect he deserves, because all leaders must be respected as a first step to achieving the political unity everyone in the community is craving for" Dr Mutua said.
He further said his dream is for Ukambani leaders to overcome political party lines and find solutions to the challenges facing the region.
"My dream is to have a genuine bipartisan meeting with Mr Musyoka, Johnson Muthama and other senior leaders in Ukambani, and speak with one voice for us to be respected", he said.
Dr Mutua, the only politician from Ukambani region serving in Ruto's Cabinet, recognises the herculean task of turning the tables on Mr Musyoka in the region, and this perhaps explains his change of strategy.
The CS said 2025 should be the year of embracing rivals to achieve the unity in the Ukambani region.
His chief political lieutenant, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, who remains the face of his Maendeleo Chap Chap party, was more explicit, saying Kamba leaders should emulate President Ruto who has since embraced his bitter rival Raila Odinga .
Mr Mutuse said the post-elections events, including the Azimio-led and the Gen-Z protests altered the country's politics and, therefore, the Ukambani region must rethink their place in the fast-shifting political dynamics.
“As a result, we now have a broad-based government where the two main competitors in the last elections are close partners. Equally, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who vigorously campaigned against President Ruto, has also proposed individuals for inclusion in the government,” said Mr Mutuse.
"As leaders of this community, we must all draw lessons from recent political happenings and properly align ourselves with the realities of the times, and secure the best interests of our region's future" he said.
Also present at the meeting were MPs Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South), Joshua Mwalyo (Masinga) and Caleb Mule (Machakos Town).
Not a single elected Wiper Party leader attended the meeting, with key Kenya Kwanza leaders also conspicuously absent.
Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka Kawaya who is also the UDA National Organising Secretary told Nation.Africa that he skipped the meeting because CS Mutua was a john-come-lately, who had done little to fight for President Ruto in the Wiper dominated Ukambani region.
"For the last several years, we have worked hard to sell Ruto to Kambas. All along CS Mutua was in Azimio coalition and joined Kenya Kwanza, just a few weeks to the elections, therefore he cannot purport to lead the charge to unite the community" Mr Kawaya said.
Mr Kawaya, now in his third term, was elected on Maendeleo Chap Chap ticket during his second term in Parliament but they fell out with Dr Mutua, before teaming up with President Ruto.
Mr Kawaya, who chairs the powerful Parliamentary Energy Committee, said the sibling rivalry between UDA and Maendeleo Chap Chap within Kenya Kwanza coalition must first be addressed before engaging other political parties.
He accused Dr Mutua and Mr Mutuse of hijacking a series of meetings planned by President Ruto in the region for their own selfish political interests.
The MP further said the President met Kamba MPs in Kenya Kwanza on December 18, 2024 at State House Nairobi, where the plans were agreed upon.
During the meeting in Maanzoni, the infighting within Kenya Kwanza was alluded to by some speakers who branded Mr Kawaya a sympathiser of impeached former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua .
"Unfortunately, it is evident that there are still remnants of the Gachagua mentality of shareholding. While it is to be appreciated that some people sacrificed to campaign for the victory of President Ruto, the same should not be used to hold him hostage. He is the President of those who campaigned and voted for him, as well as those who didn’t. The politics of us versus them must come to an end. We are all Kenyans" said Mr Mutuse.
The Maanzoni meeting resolved that those in government should focus chiefly on delivering on campaign promises, including cohesion and the country's political stability and winning new souls for Ruto’s 2027 re-election bid.
"Politically, the focus is on the next elections. The mood now is to deepen the broad-based approaches in line with the President’s demonstrated statesmanship in reaching out to former competitors" said Dr Mutua.
