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The commission of inquiry looking into the possible dissolution of Makueni County has directed the police to arrest a witness for perjury. The head of the probe team Lawyer Mohammed Nyaoga ordered police to arrest Peter Mwanthi, a former councilor for lying that he had appeared before the commission on behalf of a local organisation called Makueni Amani Association.
However, when hard-pressed by Governor Kivutha Kibwana’s lead counsel Fred Nyamu to table the registration documents of the association before the commission, the former councilor said the documents were in custody of the association’s secretary Mambo Ngundi, who he alleged was in Busia.
Upon further prodding by Counsel Nyamu, the witness gave out Ngundi’s number which the police traced in Wote town, Makueni but not in Busia as alleged by the witness.
Mwanthi, who on Wednesday told the commission that there was no need of dissolving the county besides accusing Kibwana of initiating the petition process, has since gone missing and police have launched a manhunt.
County Criminal Investigations Director Erick Onyango said police are looking for the witness to record a statement for lying to the commission.
“We are looking for him and once we find him he will record a statement and then present him to the commission,” said the CID .
Meanwhile, the Kamba Council of elders have blamed the governor for the woes bedeviling the county.
Led by the Chair Titus Muumbi, the elders said that the governor as the head of the county failed to convene a meeting with the MCAs to address the infighting.
“The governor as the chief executive officer did not bother to put his house in order and instead rooted for dissolution,” said the chair.
The elders also accused the governor of snubbing peace talks meeting held in Maanzoni Lodge in Machakos and failing to pick their calls.
They opposed dissolution and called for reconciliation between the warring parties adding that negotiation, as an alternative solution of solving the wrangling was not exhaustively pursued.
“The reconciliation talks were not exhaustive and there is still room for negotiations,” said Muumbi.
This is the second group of witnesses to root for reconciliation after the clergy who also accused the governor of snubbing reconciliation talks.
