President Uhuru Kenyatta's decision to cancel the Ukambani tour wasn't aligned with Covid-19 fears as earlier reported.
Uhuru was set to visit the region from Tuesday, July 6 to Wednesday, July 7.
Sources inside State House claimed that Uhuru was disappointed with the wrangle that emerged between the four leaders Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni).
It was further alleged that Wiper politicians wanted the development tour centered around Kalonzo Musyoka whereas the three governors were leaning towards showcasing their development records and projects.
The quartet, however, learnt of the cancellation at State House, on Monday, July 5, after turning up to fine-tune and discuss strategies ahead of Uhuru's visit.
Kalonzo's allies were reported to have planned to use the tour to seek endorsements and lay down their 2022 succession plan. Wiper politicians allegedly clashed with the three governors on who would control the program, with some suspecting it was a plan to bar certain leaders from addressing Uhuru.
"We have been notified about the postponement of the visit. The local leadership and Office of the President have been tasked to thrash out a few issues, one of them being the length of the tour,” Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua an ally of Kalonzo stated.
Ngilu took a swipe at Kalonzo Musyoka and his confidants, blaming them for scuttling the tour with unnecessary political propaganda. According to the governor, Wiper was an unpopular party in Eastern Region.
Kibwana and Mutua, however, deviated from politics arguing that the cancellation was timely as it allowed leaders to plan and strategies.
"Yes. The trip has been postponed for a few weeks to allow the Ministry of Health to monitor what appears to be the beginning of the Covid-19 4th wave. We welcome the President and I, in particular, appreciate the partnership Machakos has with the National Government in rolling our development projects for my people," Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua told Kenyans.co.ke.
"The cancellation of the planned visit by President Kenyatta in Ukambani is a good thing. It gives the region a better chance to plan the visit well," Kivutha told Nation.
