Governor Kivutha Kibwana Ousted as Party Chair

Makueni Governor, Kivutha Kibwana, was replaced as the Wiper Party national chairman over the weekend.

In an announcement made by the party on Sunday, former ambassador Chirau Ali Mwakwere will take over leadership responsibilities.

Ms Ann Kanyi was also appointed as Mwakwere's deputy in the new look Wiper administration.

Wiper Party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, had recently declared that his party had officially severed ties with Kibwana’s Muungano party.

This marked the beginning of the end for Kibwana's tenure at the party, with various sources affirming that his replacements were already undergoing vetting.

Kibwana had publicly declared that the party actually needed him more than he needed them, in one of the numerous public spats aired against his former party.

"If I hadn’t joined him Wiper party would not have secured even a single governor position in Ukambani. I helped Kalonzo secure a running mate position in NASA to prevent Musalia Mudavadi from sealing it,” Kibwana once disclosed.

His ousting from the party was long overdue, with his political marriage to Kalonzo ending in a bitter and prolonged public debacle.

The battle over Ukambani was at the centre stage of their tiff, with Kibwana constantly hounding Kalonzo over his lack of development projects in Ukambani, during his tenure as the country's vice president.

“His time has elapsed. He was Vice President, what did he do? So, these people saying Kalonzo will be the next president should know the position belongs to none,” Kibwana once remarked.

The Makueni governor has since formed a formidable coalition with Kitui Governor, Charity Ngilu and his Machakos counterpart, Alfred Mutua.