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A section of Kitui county MPs have criticised East Africa Community, Arid and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza (pictured) for distributing relief food in Ukambani region instead of lobbying for tangible development.

The first salvo was thrown by Kitui woman representative Irene Kasalu who said it was demeaning for Malonza to lobby only for relief food when she is a senior government official in the Kenya Kwanza government.

Kasalu stated that the cabinet secretary is at a strategic position to canvass for development projects and job opportunities for youths from the county, but regretted that Malonza was blowing up that opportunity by engaging in petty programmes such as relief food distribution.

“We need to see the cabinet secretary lobbying for water projects for the semi-arid Ukambani region, roads, high level health facilities and jobs for our people but not this belittling relief food thing,” Kasalu said while speaking at Kiomo Mixed Secondary School in Mwingi West.

Malonza, who is the senior most government appointee from Kitui County has been traversing several parts of the county and Ukambani distributing relief food to locals while challenging Ukambani leaders to work with Ruto’s government in order for the region to benefit.

However, Kasalu said that Malonza had landed the cabinet secretary post to change the people’s lives in her Kitui home county, and advised her to consult with elected leaders to know the priority areas where the Kenya Kwanza government needs to invest in.

Speaking separately at a funeral in his Kitui Rural constituency, MP Mwalika Mboni noted that CS Malonza should work towards spurring socio-political and economic development for the arid and semi-arid Ukambani region.

The MP said it was a waste of time for people to spend hours at chiefs’ camps waiting for meagre relief food instead of being empowered to be self-reliant.

Earlier on, Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu rubbished calls by CS Malonza for Ukambani leaders to support president William Ruto’s government, saying that as citizens of this country, the Kamba community had a right to benefit from the government’s programmes.

“Some cabinet secretaries are busy telling us to defect to the government instead of bringing projects and opportunities to our people. You should use your position to canvas for projects that will earn you praise from people after retirement,” Makali said in a dig aimed at the CS.