JOSEPH NDUNDA
WINNERS
Kivutha Kibwana, beleaguered Makueni governor
Kibwana, 61, is a Harvard-trained professor of constitutional law. He taught law at the University of Nairobi before he ventured out into politics. He was the constitutional adviser of the retired President Mwai Kibaki during the grand coalition government. He became the MP for Makueni from 2003-07. Kibwana served as an assistant minister in the Ministry of Internal Security and the Lands ministry from 2003-05. He was appointed as the Environment Minister in 2005 after the former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka was kicked out of the government alongside other leaders in the grand coalition for opposing government-supported constitution in November 2005 referendum.
Kibwana contested the Makueni governor seat on Muungano Development Party on March 4, 2013, and won on a landslide. He has been involved in a series of wrangles with members of the county assembly after declining to approve Sh1 billion for the assembly expenditure out of the Sh5 billion allocated to the county in 2013-14 financial year, putting himself at loggerheads with county representatives in their clamour to loot the county.
Residents rallied behind him and petitioned the President to dissolve the government. The commission probing the dissolution of the suspended county government entered the final stretch of its investigations on Monday.
Wavinya Ndeti former Kathiani MP
Forty-seven-year-old Ndeti, a political stalwart from Ukambani, hails from Athi River Industrial town in Mavoko subcounty. She holds a BSc in computer science degree from South Bank University, Msc in business administration and marketing from Heirowatt University, and an Msc in business analysis and design from City University, London, UK. Ndeti held various managerial positions in various companies before venturing out into elective politics.
She was the Kathiani MP (2008-13) and the former Youth and Gender assistant Minister in the grand-coalition government. She contested the Machakos governor's seat on Chama Cha Uzalendo party after losing to Alfred Mutua in the WDM party nominations and came second to Mutua. She is the Political Parties Liaison Committee chairperson. Wavinya has remained politically active, and is touted as a potential contender in the 2017 elections, if she switches parties and joins WDM party. She is credited with initiating many development projects using CDF funds in the one term she served as Kathiani MP.
Nzungi Ngwele, Ngomeni MCA
Nzungi is the Ngomeni MCA elected on WDM party ticket. He holds a B.A in Literature from the University of Nairobi. He has worked with an international NGO, Women's Resource Centre, among others. He has widely researched on prospects of development of education programmes and rekindled training for transformation. He chairs the Kitui county assembly committee on education.
Nzungi has founded a non-profit organisation that carries out training, research and advocacy on gender, governance and citizen participation. He will be a formidable candidate for the famous Mwingi North Parliamentary seat. The incumbent, John Munuve, has in the recent past publicly declared he doesn't owe Kalonzo or WDM party any loyalty, which is likely to cost him the seat in favour of Nzungi, who enjoys the backing of other MCAs.
LOSERS
Machakos governor Alfred Mutua
Mutua, 43, holds a PhD in communication and media from the University of Western Sydney, Australia. The former government spokesman contested on WDM party and won the election with a landslide, against Wavinya Ndeti who was rigged out in party nominations. Mutua was considered to be politically naïve as he had no prior experience in politics, and rode on a Cord wave in the region to win the seat. He spearheaded the first county investment forum that attracted investors from all over the world. The conference saw the signing of MoUs worth Sh56.3 billion with investors. But political pundits say he will lose in the governor's race in 2017 due to his defiance to the regional kingpin, Kalonzo. According to the pundits, he will be trounced by his closest challenger, Wavinya Ndeti, if his party kicks him out. However, he is likely to be appointed Cabinet Secretary in the Jubilee administration to maintain contact in the region – if it wins the next general election.
Kitui governor Julius Malombe
Malombe has fallen out with six out of nine elected MPs in the county, and is now more or less a lone ranger. Also politically naïve, Malombe made his political debut in March 4, 2013, general elections and trounced former Mutitu MP Kiema Kilonzo who contested the seat on Narc Kenya ticket.
His political detractors say he is spending county funds on insignificant projects. A mortuary built in Kyuso subcounty sparked a heated debate recently. Its opponents said the governor should have instead improved hospitals' infrastructure and procured medicines to avert deaths.
Malombe holds a BA degree in Building Economics from the University of Nairobi, MSc degree in construction management, MBA from Econ University of Aston, and a PhD from the University of Birmingham, UK.
He is a development technocrat having served as vice chairman of the Board of Shelter Afrique – housing and real estate firm – and a member of Boards of National Housing Corporation (NHC) among others.
Mwingi North MP John Munuve Mati
Mati has been on the receiving end of Kalonzo’s political firepower for “going to bed” with the Jubilee government. The first time MP is not likely to be re-elected after a fallout with Kalonzo. Kalonzo has been murmuring loudly that his wife campaigned for Mati in three consecutive days without a rest to ensure he clinches the seat, only for him to betray the party.
Mati has challenged Kalonzo for the same seat in 1992, 1997 and 2002 elections, setting unparalleled record of successful failures. His luck came in 2013 following the constitutional requirement that a Presidential candidate or Presidential running mate should not contest any other elective seat.
Other losers include Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambu, who will have to shelve his ambitions of becoming the governor of mineral-rich Kitui in 2017.
MPs Victor Munyaka (Machakos town), Itwiku Mbai (Masinga), Vincent Musyoka (Mwala), Richard Makenga (Kaiti), Regina Ndambuki (Kilome) and Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South) are likely to lose their seats for undermining Kalonzo and supporting Mutua to become the Ukambani political kingpin.
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