Row in Jubilee as Kimunya, Nyoro tussle over management of Kiambaa by-election
Kiambu governor James Nyoro has castigated National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya over what he termed as threats to the people of Kiambaa.
While addressing members of the public during the weekend, Kimunya said that the government will withdraw funds earmarked for development if voters fail to elect the jubilee candidate Kariri Njama.
In a rejoinder, Nyoro distanced Kiambu Jubilee team from the remarks which he termed as unfortunate and uncalled for and challenged Kimunya to withdraw the same.
"The statement was unfortunate and we are not going to be subjected to threats. It was a personal view and not a government policy and we condemn it," Nyoro said at Kiambu county headquarters where he hosted his Machakos counterpart Alfred Mutua who paid him a courtesy call.
The governor also pointed out that Jubilee party headquarters is subjecting the Kiambaa by elections campaigns to a lot of disorganization.
"I want to be very categorical and state that the things we have started seeing is not something we can encourage. I appeal to the party that as they are organizing the campaigns, we should be involved," he said.
"We want to have one command center and you can not exclude the governor from the command center. You saw on Sunday someone deciding who was going to address the voters and who not to," the governor said.
On Sunday, Kimunya warned Kiambaa voters to elect a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Njuguna Wanjiku at their own peril.
His statement ruffled feathers among locals who likened it to the antics which were used by the former ruling party Kanu.
Kimunya told them not to expect any development project in the area if they fail to elect the party candidate Kariri Njama claiming that Juja residents are already regretting for electing an opposition MP.
'If you don't elect him, the Ksh2 billion set aside for rehabilitation of roads in the area will become history. More over, if you elect an opposition MP, I will not allocate him any parliamentary committee and the same date has befallen the Juja MP George Koimburi," he said.
Kimunya who was flanked by Kiambu governor James Nyoro and several MPs including Peter Mwathi, Swarup Mishra, Jude Njomo. Ngunjiri Wambugu and Ruth Mwaniki from Limuru, Kesess, Nyeri Town and Kigumo respectively spoke at Gacii ACK church in Kiambaa during a funds drive before officially launching Njama's by elections campaigns.
On Monday 13, Nyoro said that all indications are that Kariri will win the Kiambaa seat during the by election which is slated for 15th July 2021 adding that he is the most popular contestant.
However, he observed that jubilee should work overdrive in order to maintain the momentum and contain the apparent aggressive UDA onslaught.
Mutua urged voters in Kiambaa and Muguga to elect jubilee candidates as an appreciation for the vast development record President Uhuru Kenyatta has displayed.
"You should not take the development that Uhuru has done for you for granted. You should show gratitudes by supporting him,"Mutua said.
Contacted, Njama said that he has all along advocated for campaign by locals who are conversant with the grassroot political dynamics.
'The Sunday event was convened by the national jubilee office but we are now back to the ground conducting aggressive door to door campaigns which are very fruitful," he told PD via the phone.
