Kivutha Kibwana could ditch Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Party for Raila Odinga ahead of the 2022General Election.
As politicians jostle to form alliances, Kivumbi,co.ke understands the second-time governor held talks with official of Raila’s ODM party in lower eastern region.
A statement by ODM party leadership from Machakos, Kitui, and Makueni said the party was courting Kibwan because, like Raila Odinga, he holds development and reform ideologies.
“We had discussions with Kivutha Kibwana about national and regional politics and crucially about emerging national and regioal development issues,” read the ODM statement.
Kivumbi.co.ke understands that the Makueni county chief asked ODM to also engage his Machakos and Kitui counterparts Alfred Mutua and Charity Ngilu as they have previously held talks with the ODM party leader so that the region works together as a block.
Loved by most Kenyan middle class who display their affection for him online, Kibwana is viewed as a development conscious leader based on his record in Makueni county.
The meeting with ODM team comes roughly 2 months after Kivutha Kibwana met Raila Odinga in Nairobi alongside immediate former United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNACTD) boss Mukhisa Kituyi who has declared his interest in the presidency in 2022.
Kibwana and his party boss Kalonzo Musyoka who is considered Ukambani political kingpin do not enjoy a cordial relationship.
Late 2020, Kalonzo’s party threatened to expel the Makueni governor and his deputy for disloyalty and failure to remit party membership fee.
The governor joined Wiper party in the run-up to 2017 polls alongside Chama Cha Uzalendo leader Wavinya Ndeti, but started complaining of frustrations from Wiper MCAs.
He fell out with Kalonzo before resigning as the party chairman early 2019.
He was consequently replaced by former Cabinet Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere in July 2019.
