MP Mtengo ‘sidelined’ in Raila homecoming rally for rival Aisha Jumwa
The supremacy battle between Malindi MP Willy Mtengo and Kilifi women representative Aisha Jumwa has intensified ahead of Cord’s weekend rally .
Differences between them emerged when Jumwa, who campaigned for Mtengo during the March by-election, declared interest in the seat come August 2017.
Mtengo beat Jubilee’s Philip Charo in a bruising by-poll for the seat that fell vacant after Dan Kazungu was appointed Mining CS.
Cord co-principals Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula will go to Malindi to support Jumwa, one of the Cord politicians detained over hate speech.
Their tour is part of the opposition’s peace rallies in the home turfs of the eight politicians facing charges for allegedly issuing inciting remarks.
Jumwa confirmed the opposition leaders will join her for the homecoming following her release from Muthaiga police station.
Mtengo told the Star on phone that he had been sidelined in the tour but will not take the matter lightly.
But Jumwa, who also spoke to the Star by phone, said: “The programme came straight from Orange headquarters. He should stop pointing his finger at me.”
“Mtengo should join the Cord principals during their tour and stop politicising the issue for his selfish interests.”
The woman representative said Raila, Kalonzo and Wetang’ula “had nothing to do with Mtengo” as he was not among those detained.
She added that the main aim of the tour is to preach peace.
Mtengo said he learned of the tour when he called Orange House but was surprised that he was not consulted in his capacity as area MP.
“The office of the Kilifi Governor, I am told, is organising the visit but they have not consulted me. I shall not sit and watch such intimidation,” he said.
Mtengo said he will attend the rallies but “hit hard at the leaders for being intimidated in such a crucial visit”.
“We are not going to permit intimidation. They are the same leaders who championed my victory. How can they, within a short period of three months, sideline me,” he asked.
Kakuyuni MCA Nixon Muramba, who is the chairman of the committee organising the homecoming, said preparations were in top gear.
“I was expecting to see either the area MP or representatives from his office participate in the organisation of the visit but his office is quiet,’” he said when contacted for comment.
COunty coordinator Abdalla Tsuma asked the Malindi OCS, in a letter on Wednesday, for permission to use Cleopatra grounds for rallies on Thursday and Friday.
