Sunday, June 23, 2013

I am in the race to clinch Makueni seat, says Kethi Kilonzo

Updated Saturday, June 22nd 2013 at 21:32 GMT +3


By Daniel Nzia
MAKUENI, KENYA: It is now official; the daughter of the late Senator Mutula Kilonzo, Kethi Diana Kilonzo will contest the Makueni County Senate seat in the July 22 by-election.
Kethi confirmed yesterday that she will run in the July 22 by-election to fill the seat that fell vacant after the death of her father on April 27.
“I will be offering myself to the people of Makueni County on Monday (tomorrow),” Kethi told The Standard on Sunday on telephone.
This brings to an end speculations as to whether she would contest after keeping supporters guessing for a couple of weeks now.
Jubilee Alliance and CORD have been playing hide and seek in the run-up to the by-election with each coalition choosing to tightly guard their preferred candidates. Kethi, who rose to fame during the Supreme Court petition case challenging the election of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto will now fight it out with Jubilee’s Philip Kaloki.
CORDJubilee battle
An unconfirmed report indicates that Kilome MP John Harun Mwau, who had lost the seat to the late Mutula is also in the race. This, therefore, means the battle will be between the ruling Jubilee and theCORD Alliance whose affiliate party Wiper is the home party.
 “It is going to be a battle between the government and the opposition in this contest,” said a resident who did not wish to be named.
“This is a CORD seat and the alliance will do all what it can to secure it through Kethi. Any attempts to rig the polls will be thwarted by the huge turn out of voters in favour of Kethi,” said a Wiper supporter who spoke to us on condition of anonymity.
Besides riding on the massive good will from the residents over her sterling performance at the Supreme Court, Kethi will also be banking on sympathy votes.
Prof Kaloki has five years’ experience as Kibwezi MP and also traversed the county in the company of the late Mutula during the last elections campaigns.
Wiper party leader and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka also confirmed Kethi’s candidature and invited Makueni people to turn out in large numbers to receive her on Monday.
“We are going to hold a major rally in Wote where we shall unveil Kethi as the CORD flag bearer in the July 22 be-election,” he said.
Wiper family
He said the Wiper family is united behind Kethi’s candidature and warned that those in the party with a different opinion will be swept away.
“There is no two ways about it. It is not by choice but the political parties law that wiper leaders must rally behind the party’s candidate”, warned Kalonzo.
He told Makueni residents to be wary of a section of leaders working in cahoots with the opposition to auction them.
Machakos County Senator Johnson Muthama said Kethi’s wave in the county is unstoppable, adding: “I am amazed by the love and confidence the residents have in lawyer Kethi.”
He confirmed that CORD Alliance leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo and Moses Wetangula would be in Makueni on Monday to present Kethi to the people.
Last weekend Muthama led Wiper leaders to the county where they endorsed Kethi to succeed her late father.
The leaders included MPs Daniel Maanzo (Makueni), Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni), Richard Makenga (Kaiti), Rose Museo (County Representative) Stephen Mule (Matungulu) and Katatha Maweu (Kangundo). They all pledged to abandon their other activities and pitch tent in Makueni County to ensure Kethi won the seat.
“Kethi ti kethi, Kethi ni keu yu” (Kethi in not raw, Kethi is now ripe) were the words of Ms Museo during the Makueni weekend endorsement of Kethi.
Political parties are expected to present their nominated candidates to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) offices in Wote for clearance by the electoral body on June 26 and 27.

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