Revealed: Governor Alfred Mutua to vie for Mwala parliamentary seat
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua (rights) with the Deputy President William Ruto during the signing of memorandum of understanding between Maendeleo Chap Chap and Kenya Kwanza Alliance at the official residence of the DP.
Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader and Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua is seeking the Mwala parliamentary seat, an electoral commission filing has confirmed.
Dr Mutua, a second-term governor, recently ditched Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition for Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
The listing of Dr Mutua—full name Alfred Nganga Mutua—in the Mwala parliamentary race means the governor will go head to head with Dr Ruto’s candidate, incumbent Vincent Musyoka alias Kawaya.
Mr Musyoka has been an ardent supporter of the DP and has led various campaigns for him in Machakos County in a team that also had UDA governor aspirant, Johnson Muthama.
Others listed as contestants for the seat include Ms Roda Nduku who is vying on a Kanu ticket and Barckleih Kilei who is vying on a Wiper party ticket.
Mr Kimilu Justus Safari of People’s Trust Party and Kilungu Julius Mutua of Chama Cha Uzalendo, and Kioko Grace Muthakye of ODM are also in the race.
However, the governor later tweeted clarifying that he would not vie in the August polls but did not say who took his name to the IEBC.
Dr Mutua’s surprise move opens the lid on the games played by politicians in their quest to fall for a leadership position when all else fails.
Kenya Kwanza team
His move is similar to that of Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula, who is seeking a third term as Bungoma Senator despite being promised the Senate Speaker’s post by Dr Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza team.
Mr Wetang’ula and Amani National Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi, however, have to deliver 70 percent of the 2.2 million votes in the Western bloc counties of Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia.
Critics from the Azimio coalition have scoffed at the pact saying the two cannot deliver such a high vote but Mudavadi has insisted that the two will deliver a massive 90 percent of the total votes.
“Wetang’ula and I have consolidated Western Kenya, 70 percent is too little, we will garner 90 percent,” he said during a Kiambu county’s UDA economic forum held in Limuru.
Other senate aspirants that Ford Kenya listed were Kakamega’s Joy Mukite, Busia’s Moses Oguta Wanyama, Garissa’s Shalle Mohammed Issack, Nyamira’s Kennedy Okongo, Tana River’s Mohamed Jire Siyat, Kericho’s Racheal Cherotich Ngéno and Machakos’s Celestina Mutavi Mbasi for the Senate contest.
Another surprise entry in the IEBC list is Dr Jalang’o Midiwo of ODM, who has been listed as the party’s aspirant in Gem constituency.
Incumbent Elisha Odhiambo has a Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) ruling that directed ODM to give him a direct ticket after he beat Dr Midiwo in the disputed nominations.
