Kitui Governor Julius Malombe under pressure to run for third term

The Malombe allies maintain there was consensus that the governor’s development track record was the basis of people’s desire for him to remain in office until 2032.

MPs, MCAs, opinion leaders and the clergy hope that the lacuna issue and the constitutional review will favour him based on the fact that he won in 2013 elections but lost in 2017. He was re-elected in 2022.

They have crafted a scheme to woo supporters that he is not going anywhere notwithstanding his constitutional term coming to end in 2027.

They are fronting the county boss to run for the gubernatorial seat for third term in 2027, arguing that his consecutive term was cut short in 2017 when he lost to former governor Ms Charity Ngilu, only to reclaim it in 2022 polls.

Speaker after speaker was unanimous that Dr Malombe has opened up the county through a vast road network, embedded maternal care in his county strategy and dug numerous boreholes and water pans in the water-starved county. They said, these are the things that matter most to residents.

County Assembly Speaker, Kelvin Kinengo, a lawyer by profession, weighed into the debate by saying that reviewing governors’ terms will only need a parliamentary system and not a referendum as opposed to a presidential term.

Kitui County business community and professional forum Coordinator, Campell Munyambu, said Malombe’s  track record in his first term elicited uproar from the public and leaders across the board in imploring on him to run until 2032.

Wiper’s Mwingi West MP, Charles Nguna, and his UDA’s Kitui East counterpart, Nimrod Mbai, have led their constituents in praising Malombe as a progressive leader who, if given time, can lead the county into more advantageous steps in changing people’s livelihoods.

Mr Nguna and Mr Mbai vowed to champion unity of purpose and rally the residents behind Dr Malombe’s leadership, urging the governor to stand firm and resist any form of intimidation to derail his development agenda "whether his tenure ends in 2027 or in 2032".

“We will remain steadfast and not be scared or intimidated by those out to derail the governor's development agenda in improving the livelihoods of the people. The critics have no sympathy for mankind,” Nguna said.

Mbai said as leaders they will unite and front Malombe to run for a third term in the next general elections.

“If there are grey areas in the constitution, commonly referred to as lacuna, as Kitui East leaders, we will sit down and agree to give Dr Malombe another five years to continue improving the livelihoods of people until 2032,” the MP said.

The legislator hoped that the "lacuna" issue and the constitutional review would favour Malombe based on the fact that he won in 2013 elections but lost in 2017.

Early on, the governor had hinted that his colleagues who lost their second bids in 2017 contemplated moving to the Supreme Court to seek constitutional amendments to allow them to run for their full terms until 2032. 

He says although the 2010 Constitution of Kenya, which is popularly known to most Kenyans as the new constitution, limits the terms of a governor to two terms, he and his colleagues who served their first term in 2013 before losing their second attempt in 2017, will coalesce in an unanimous unity to seek ultimate amendment on Chapter two, Article 180 of the constitution.

“I want to leave a firm legacy at the end of my term. Some lawyers argue that governors will serve two terms whether consecutive or not. Others including lawyers say it should be amended to make the two terms consecutive. We will ask the Supreme Court for interpretation in 2026,” Malombe said during his State of The County Address at the county assembly last February.

Chapter two - The Republic, Article 180 - Election of county governor and deputy county governor states that a person shall not hold office––

(i) As a governor for more than two terms or (ii) As a deputy county governor for more than two terms.

On his part, Malombe says he is optimistic that the ambiguity in the election of county governor and his deputy will be clarified and adjusted to enable him, in particular, to serve Kitui people diligently and satisfactorily until 2032.

“I urge my supporters and residents in the county in general to rest assured that my term in office will end in 2032. There is no doubt the contentious chapter and article in the constitution will be appropriately addressed and put straight on record at the appropriate time,” the governor said amid applause from the audience.

He said his dream and aspiration was to resuscitate the development and transformation’s vision and agenda for the semi-arid county, and to progressively improve residents’ livelihoods and their living standards.

Malombe, who served as the pioneer governor before losing to his successor Charity Ngilu in 2017 elections, says he took over a dysfunctional devolved unit which he founded in his first term in office in 2013. He recaptured the seat in the last General Election in which Ngilu opted not to defend her seat.

Malombe underscores his government’s achievements two years in office in bringing order, sense of direction, proper planning and execution of programmes.

“Since I took over office in August 2022, I have made remarkable progress in achieving life-transforming initiates as outlined in the 16-sector development agenda-The Kitui Promise.I am glad to note that we are on the right track in our cooperation and consultations geared towards achieving our vision- to be a prosperous county with vibrant rural and urban economies whose people enjoy a high quality of life, as well as our mission to provide effective county services and an enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development and improved livelihoods for all,” he said.

Malombe said his leadership focused on three areas: a recap on the state of the county before his assumption into office, key achievements of his government and the priorities they undertook to deliver in his election manifesto.

He also talked about The Kitui Promise and the Kitui County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2023-2027.

Malombe said during his inauguration speech on August 25, 2022, he committed his administration to undertake initiatives that they would adopt to salvage the situation. These include but are not limited to revamping the healthcare system, enhancing accountable revenue generation, responsible planning, budgeting and expenditure, equitable development across the county, rationalization of staff with a view to reducing the unsustainably huge wage bill.

Others include inculcating efficiency through institutionalizing performance contracting, the culture of integrity and zero-tolerance to corruption in service delivery, prompt payment to contracted services and works, strategic partnerships with the National Government and development partners, as well as conducting structured and meaningful public participation, to get and infuse our people’s perspectives in our development projects and programs.

Malombe said when he assumed office, Kitui residents had high hopes in him to offer solutions to the myriad of challenges that they faced. He said the people held great expectations that him, MCAs and other leaders, would rejuvenate their hopes and aspirations by spurring development and progress.

Former Governor Charity Ngilu, Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu, Senator Enock Wambua, Women MP Dr Irene Kasalu and former EAC CS Peninah Malonza have publicly declared their interests to succeed Governor Malombe in 2027.