This archive report was first published on 13 August 2019.
August 13, 2019
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has convened a closed-door meeting to address internal differences within the party, with some members pushing for the expulsion of Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana.
The meeting, attended by all Wiper MPs and MCAs, is seen as a move to resolve the simmering tensions within the party.
According to sources, the hardliners, including former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama and Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, want Governor Kibwana kicked out of the party so that he can seek a fresh mandate from Makueni voters using another political party.
However, the moderates, including MPs Makali Mulu, Jessica Mbalu, Charles Nguna, and Dr Irene Kasalu, have called for dialogue, saying the party should listen to Governor Kibwana and his colleagues.
It is not clear which camp will carry the day, but sources indicate that Mr Musyoka favours the moderates and has tasked some elders to mediate their differences.
Governor Kibwana has remained defiant, stating, 'I’ll not attend that meeting because I wasn’t invited, but if Wiper leadership thinks they can intimidate us into supporting a certain political narrative, they are deeply mistaken because Kenya has changed and grown in democracy terms.'
