Is Wiper Party Leadership in Kitui Losing Its Grip?

By KASEE MUSYA

The Wiper Democratic Movement has long been a dominant political force in Kitui County, commanding loyalty and shaping the political landscape. However, recent developments paint a troubling picture of waning influence and fractured leadership, raising the question: Is Wiper losing its grip on Kitui politics?

At the center of this discourse is Speaker Kinengo, whose meteoric rise and growing political clout have become impossible to ignore. How has the Speaker managed to consolidate such power in a county where Wiper boasts an array of elected leaders expected to be the custodians of the party’s agenda?

Leaders like Senator Enoch Kiio, Hon. Makali Mulu (MP for Kitui Central), and Hon. Irene Kasalu (Woman Representative) are pivotal figures in Wiper’s local leadership. Yet, their response to Speaker Kinengo’s growing influence has been muted. Why this silence or apparent indifference? Shouldn’t they be at the forefront, safeguarding the party’s dominance?

Imagine a similar scenario in ODM’s Luo Nyanza stronghold, where someone openly challenges the party’s leadership or undermines its decisions. It’s unthinkable that ODM leader Raila Odinga would let such defiance go unchecked. Similarly, in Kenya Kwanza, any challenge to President William Ruto would be swiftly neutralized. Why, then, is Wiper’s leader, H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka, facing open defiance in his stronghold without a decisive response from the party?

The recent appointment of Hon. Katonyi and Hon. Ngoima as Majority and Majority Leaders respectively was a strategic move by the party. But one must ask: Did Senator Kiio, Hon. Mulu, and Hon. Kasalu actively champion these appointments and rally support behind them, or were they passive observers? Meanwhile, Speaker Kinengo appears to have outmaneuvered the party, skillfully rallying a majority of MCAs to his side, leaving Wiper’s decisions in disarray.

If the current trend continues, Wiper risks losing credibility and control in Kitui. Speaker Kinengo’s growing influence, left unchecked, is a glaring sign of weakened leadership and internal disunity.

Governor Julius Malombe and his executive team also bear responsibility. They should have empowered Hon. Katonyi and Hon. Ngoima to assert their leadership roles and counter the Speaker’s influence. Instead, the duo seems to be struggling alone, lacking the strategic backing they need from both the party and the county executive.

The time for reassurances and rhetoric is over. Wiper leaders in Kitui must confront the Speaker’s political ascendancy head-on. Concrete action is required—not just to reclaim authority but to reinforce the party’s position as the dominant force in the region.

Hon. Katonyi and Hon. Ngoima cannot succeed in isolation. They need the full support of the party, elected leaders, and the county executive. Without this united front, Speaker Kinengo’s influence will continue to grow, threatening to eclipse Wiper’s dominance in Kitui.

The writing is on the wall: Wiper’s grip in Kitui is slipping, and unless its leadership takes decisive action, the party risks losing its stronghold to internal dissent and external power plays.

///__