Higher Education Principal Secretary Dr Beatrice Muganda Inyangala and the Chancellor of Co-operatives University of Kenya Dr Benard Chitunga have come out to openly disclose that it was Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who pushed for their appointments to the senior public positions they currently occupy.

Dr Inyangala and Dr Chitunga revealed that it was Mudavadi who personally introduced them to President William Ruto and argued their case before they were appointed.

The duo made the revelations separately to a group of clan leaders from the 29 clans of the Kabras sub-tribe in Malava Constituency, who had paid the PCS a courtesy call at his Railways Headquarters offices.

The Principal Secretary physically attended the events and addressed the elders directly while Chitunga who works in China talked to the delegation via a mobile phone with a volume beamed on a mega loud speaker.

Dr Inyangala and Dr Chitunga are only two of the appointees from Malava in the Ruto administration.

Others from the area include former Kakamega Deputy Governor Prof Philip Museve Kutima who was last week named as the chairman of the Council of Embu University, Joseph Ngaira Busiega, the Chief of Staff in the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Ms Immaculate Shamala (board director at the Insurance Regulatory Authority), Simon Muyumba Indimuli (the Secretary of State Corporations Advisory Committee) and Joshua Asembo Shitikho, Mudavadi’s personal assistant.

HAIL MUDAVADI

At the consultative meeting with the Kabras elders, also attended by Vihiga Woman Representative Dr Beatrice Adagala, Shinyalu MP Fred Ikana, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) vice-chairman Kelvin Lunani and educationist Pamela Benchi-Mukabana, Dr Inyangala and Dr Chitunga opened to them that they owe their individual appointments to Mudavadi.

Dr Inyangala unsuccessfully contested in the 2022 General Election as the running-mate of former Senator Cleophas Malalah for the Kakamega governor’s seat on Amani National Congress (ANC) party ticket, an affiliate of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

She told the elders that President Ruto did know her prior to her appointment and that had it not been for Mudavadi, she could not have landed her current position.

“I thank His Excellency, the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Musalia Mudavadi for holding my hand. President Ruto did not know me personally. It was Hon. Mudavadi who held my hand and got me appointed to this position I hold today. I would not be where I am today were it not for His Excellency the Prime Cabinet Secretary. He has stood with me all through,” she told the over 100 elders present.

On his part, Dr. Chitunga, speaking Beijing, thanked the people of Malava for standing with him when he lost his father two months ago and asked them to ensure that Malava experiences tranquility during the forthcoming by-election occasioned by the death of then Member of Parliament Moses Injendi Malulu in February this year.

“I would like to thank His Excellency the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi for giving me support. I am just a village boy. In fact, His Excellency President William Ruto did not know me,” he said.

“It was Hon. Mudavadi who took me to the President to introduce me to the Head of State and proposed me for the position I now hold as Chancellor of Co-operative University of Kenya. I am a young man whom the President has trusted with this enormous responsibility. I thank the Prime Cabinet Secretary for believing in me and standing with me on this journey. I promise to deliver to my best,” Dr Chitunga stated.

The elders had paid Mudavadi a courtesy call for consultations ahead of the forthcoming by-election.

ELDERS’ DEMANDS

During the consultative meeting, the clan elders led by chairperson Alphonce Masinde and Secretary General Harrison Webbo Tanga, presented a memorandum to the PCS demanding the completion of stalled projects following Malulu’s demise.

The projects include completion of the Malava-Ikoli and Malava-Samitsi roads, the ongoing Namanja and Sikhuyu water projects, the construction of student hostels at Shamberere National Polytechnic, completion of Malava Medical Training College and commissioning of Kabras West Sub-County headquarters.

The elders also demanded for the gazettement and staffing of the newly created administrative units in East and Kabras.

They include Chesero and Shivanga Divisions, Nguvuli Location, and sub-locations such as Mukhuyu and Shivagala in East Kabras; as well as Shirugu/Mugai Division, Chevoso and Shikutse Locations, and Indulusia and Bukhakunga Sub-Locations in Kabras West.

Declaring himself as the Patron of the constituency in the period that it shall be without an elected MP, Mudavadi told the delegation that the Government would swiftly attend to the issues raised.

He told the elders to ensure that the people of Malava elect a visionary leader who can unite the constituents in the same manner that Malulu did.

NO PARTICULAR ASPIRANT

Mudavadi said he would not vouch for any particular aspirant but would wait for the Kenya Kwanza supporters to pick a suitable UDA candidate for whom he and other honchos from the ruling coalition would come to campaign for.

He argued that whoever shall be elected as the next MP for Malava would be a son or daughter of Kabras and therefore there is need to safeguard peace and tolerance and ensure that the electioneering exercise is conducted without an iota of violence.

The late Malulu was elected on the ticket of ANC, then headed by Mudavadi as its Party Leader.

Upon his appointment to the Cabinet, Mudavadi relinquished the party’s leadership to Lamu Governor Issa Timamy.

However, ANC has since wound up and merged with President William Ruto’s UDA under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

Kenya Kwanza has yet to identify its candidate with five aspirants still battling for its ticket.

They are retired school principal Dr. Enock Andanje, Malulu’s son Ryan Injendi, ex-Kivaywa High School Principal Simon Kangwana, West Kabras Member of County Assembly (MCA) David Ndakwa and advocate Leonard Shimaka.

Kenya Kwanza will face competition from the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that has picked lawyer Edgar Busiega Mwanga as its candidate and Roots Party of lawyer George Wajackoyah which has settled on management consultant Caleb Sunguti.

The Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K) associated with former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Trans-Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has bagged the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) secretary -general Seth Panyako whereas the United Democratic Party (UDP) of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo has identified one Samuel Tsmbelwa Wesukari as its flag-bearer.