Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana has cautioned Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka against promoting only Wiper candidates ahead of the August 9 General Election.

 Kibwana, who heads the presidential campaigns for Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga in Kitui, Machakos and Makueni counties, accused Musyoka of causing confusion in Azimio.

 “Wiper should understand that Azimio brings together 26 parties. Promoting only one party is unrealistic. It is akin to a family member claiming that he is the only one who should be served food.

That is impossible. Wiper is weakening Azimio by promoting only its candidates. Weakening Azimio is campaigning for its rival coalition,” he said on Saturday.

 He spoke at his home in Mwanyani village after he was crowned as Kamba elder and spokesman by the Kamba Clans Governing Council, a lobby which brings together the leadership of the 22 Kamba clans. 

 The organisation led by Boniface Kilonzo also declared Kibwana the Kamba political kingpin and the community’s advisor on political matters.

Coming at the height of Kibwana’s political differences with Musyoka, the coronation was widely seen as a boost to the governor’s standing and an apparent indictment on the leadership of Musyoka who is widely seen as the Ukambani political kingpin.   

 On Friday, a day after he rejoined Odinga’s camp, the Wiper leader led his allies in castigating governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and Kibwana.

While Mutua has since cast his lot with Deputy President William Ruto, Ngilu and Kibwana are at the centre of Odinga’s presidential campaign, a position that has put them on a collision path with the Wiper family.

The governors and Musyoka have survived a decade of supremacy battles.

The governors’ criticism of Musyoka heightened last month as he dithered to support Odinga’s presidential bid after losing his bid to be Azimio deputy president nominee to Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua.