Sunday, December 11, 2011

Your wars may cost you, Ngilu, Kalonzo told



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By BOB ODALO bodalo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, December 11  2011 at  01:15
The rivalry between Ukambani’s top politicians, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Water minister Charity Ngilu, has dominated the region’s politics for the better part of the year.
But pundits now warn that the rivalry may adversely affect their political standing as the country gears up for the next General Election.
In the latest incident involving the two leaders last weekend, the VP extended his hand to greet Mrs Ngilu, but she snubbed him.
This was the second time in as many months that Mrs Ngilu, who is the MP for Kitui Central, snubbed Mr Musyoka, her neighbour from Mwingi North, in full view of the public.
Last weekend’s incident happened during a fundraising meeting at Itoleka market in Mrs Ngilu’s backyard.
The first time she rebuffed him was during an inter-denominational funeral service for Nobel laureate Prof Wangari Maathai.
The dispute between Mr Kalonzo and Mrs Ngilu, who both command a huge following in the region, is not about to end soon as Mrs Ngilu told the Sunday Nation that she does not see herself sharing ideas with the VP.
“The VP undermines my authority, something that I cannot accept. He knows it. In public, he tries to wear the face of a peaceful man but he camouflages his true nature,” Mrs Ngilu said.
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Mrs Ngilu says the VP is antagonistic because he is not happy with her being in charge of the Water ministry.
She says Mr Musyoka wants her out because she was getting accolades for the water projects she has initiated in Ukambani.
Ministerial docket
Mrs Ngilu has also said several times that she owes her ministerial docket to Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
“It was Raila and not Kalonzo who gave me this docket, which has helped to improve the livelihoods of the Akamba people,” she said.
To show her appreciation, Mrs Ngilu has been a vocal supporter of the PM and used all available opportunities to endear Mr Odinga to residents of Ukambani, to the chagrin of Mr Musyoka and his allies.
However, the VP denies that he has any ill-feelings towards Mrs Ngilu. “I look upon her as my sister in politics. In politics, people differ but we don’t carry the grudge everywhere we go,” said the VP.
Mr Kalonzo’s aide, Mr Kaplich Barsito, concurred and said Mr Musyoka does not consider Mrs Ngilu a political threat as they do not play in the same league. “If anything, the VP is on record defending Mrs Ngilu. Mr Musyoka is not the architect of her tribulations,” he said.
Mr Jonesmus Kikuyu, a two-time MP for Machakos Town constituency, however, cautioned that the animosity between the two may backfire come 2012.
“Kalonzo and Ngilu are in the same government and are members of the Cabinet. In their closed-door meetings, they appear to speak collectively; we wonder why, when they come to us in public, they expose their differences,” he said.
The church, too, has voiced concern over the war involving two of the Kamba community’s most prominent leaders.
“We cannot allow this to go on. We need a solution, and we are ready to help find a compromise,” said Catholic Bishop Martin Kivuva of Machakos diocese.
Public display
Mr Gideon Ndambuki, an assistant minister for Agriculture, said the public display of rivalry between the two is portraying leaders from the region in negative light.
“I think Mrs Ngilu needs to come down and stop this embarrassing humiliation she is subjecting the VP to,” he said.

For instance, in the late 1960s to the early 1970s, the Kamba community was dragged into the fierce political rivalry between Mr Paul Ngei and Mr Mbolu Malu.Political trends in Ukambani reveal that rivalry between the region’s leaders dates back to the 1960s, often forcing residents to choose between two feuding camps.
And when Mr Malu died, Mr Mulu Mutisya took over. It was Mr Mutisya who removed Mr Ngei as the Machakos district Kanu boss.
“The idea then was to keep the community permanently divided,” says Mr Kikuyu.
Mr Kikuyu adds that Mr Musyoka was in Kanu with Mr Mutisya when Mrs Ngilu began to spearhead opposition to Kanu leadership in the region.
This brought her in direct conflict with the Mutisya-Kalonzo axis, and thus began their long-standing rivalry.
But critics warn that this time round, the rivalry between the VP and Mrs Ngilu may affect their chances in 2012.
“If they are not careful Kalonzo, who is a presidential hopeful, and Mrs Ngilu, who has her eyes set on the Kitui County governorship, may find themselves in the political desert,” said a Makueni youth leader, Mr Davies Muema.

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