Makueni People Faced With A Dilemma Over Mutula Kilonzo’s Successor Mutula Kilonzo Mutula Kilonzo After senate speaker Ekwe Ethuro declared the Makueni senate seat vacant, it is not clear who will contest for this seat. Politicians are expected to declare their interest in becoming the next Makueni senator.It is believed that Kethi Kilonzo should contest foe this seat. Makueni supporters and Ukambani CORD leaders are actually prevailing on her to declare her stand, with Kalembe Ndile having said that she is the best candidate to take over from where the late senator Mutula Kilonzo left. Kalembe Ndile agrees with this as he said she is the best person to take over the space left by the late Mutula Kilonzo.He said that his party, The Independent Party (TIP) will support her and let her vie on the TIP ticket should she declare interest. Makueni County leader of Assembly, Francis, said her entry into this contest would complicate the entry of other contestants in the by-election set to take place in August 13th 2013. From reliable sources, we gather that former Kaiti MP Gideon Ndambuki will consider vying for the seat if none of the Kilonzo’s family members do not make their stand. He had been beaten by the late Kilonzo in the Wiper primaries. He says a larger section of Makueni residents have approached him to vie for this seat and that he is weighing his options. Other people intending to vie are Prof Kaloki who ran for the gubernatorial seat in a Wiper ticket but lost to Muungano’s party Kivutha Kibwana in the March 4 General Election.“In the absence of Ms Kethi or her brother Mutula Kilonzo Junior, Prof Kaloki is believed to be the man to win the race, which is expected to be the mother of all battles,” he said. Ms Kethi has however has remained silent on the matter despite the pressure mounting from all corners of the county to have her declare her stand. On the other hand, former Kibwezi MP Agnes Ndetei said Ms Kethi is not yet ready to venture into politics and that people should stop pressuring her to succeed her father against her will. She was quoted saying “The people of Makueni should elect a politically mature person to fight for them strongly in the Government and to offer mature leadership.” Makueni county assembly speaker Stephen Ngelu, has asked residents to elect a visionary leader to replace Mutula Kilonzo. Speaking to the press in his office yesterday, Ngelu said the senator’s role is crucial in the development of the county. He said Makueni residents must get a replacement who will step into Mutula’s shoes by marshalling for the equalization fund. He said Kenya is a democratic country and the seat should not be treated as hereditary. He said Makueni needs a brilliant mind who is as good as Senators Johnstone Muthama (Machakos) and James Orengo (Siaya). “Mutula came from Mbooni but the county needs a leader with muscles just like him to fight the likes of Orengo and Muthama in the allocation of the equalization fund,” Ngelu said.
