Wiper to pick Makueni candidate using interviews: The late Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo could after all be succeeded by his daughter Kethi Kilonzo.
Mbooni Member of Parliament Kisoi Munyao revealed that Kethi has reconsidered her decision not to vie for the Makueni Senate Seat after her step-mother Nduku Kilonzo pulled out of the race.
“I had been appointed by my party (Wiper Democratic Movement) to make sure mother and daughter are on the same page and I am happy to announce Kethi has agreed to run,” Munyao said.
Munyao made the announcement at a fundraising ceremony in Makueni county that was also attended by Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama and who also seemed to corroborate Munyao’s revelation.
“We are mature people,” Muthama said, “we would not want to divide Mutula’s family and we are glad Nduku said she will back Kethi.”
Only four days ago Kethi tweeted, “Today is a dark day. May the people of Makueni and all who have stood with me one day find it in their hearts to forgive me,” effectively pulling out of the Makueni Senate race although she hadn’t until then publicly announced her candidature.
Kethi’s announcement was followed by protests in Makueni County with residents calling on her to reconsider her decision and for Nduku to stand down.
A day later Nduku announced that she would not contest the Makueni Senate seat which was left vacant following her husband’s demise on April 27.
The Wiper party has on numerous occasions accused the governing Jubilee coalition of pushing Nduku to contest in the July 22 Makueni by-election in a bid to clinch a seat in the main opposition stronghold.
The Jubilee coalition which is fielding a single candidate through its constituent party, NARC, has however denied the claim saying they had settled on Philip Kaloki long before Nduku announced her intention to vie for the Makueni Senate seat.
The speculation that Nduku would vie for the Makueni Senate seat on a Jubilee ticket was fuelled by the fact that Mutula’s widow made her political ambitions known in the presence of former NARC party leader Charity Ngilu.
Going by Kethi’s tweet; “A child does not compete with the mother. It is a curse. I will not support Jubilee. To stand with my father’s enemies is a worse curse,” it was clear that even she knew her step-mother was running on a Jubilee ticket.
Despite Munyao’s announcement and numerous attempts to reach her, Kethi has remained mum on whether she has reconsidered her decision not to contest the Makueni Senate seat and perhaps the best we can hope for is another couple of tweets.-capitalfm.co.ke
