Machakos governor, Alfred Mutua, has said he will soon mobilise all Ukambani leaders so as to discuss the region's development agenda.
Addressing the public at a rally on Monday evening in Athi River town, Mutua said it is high time all elected leaders from Machakos, Kitui and Makueni counties ceased from retrogressive to progressive politics for the best interests of their electorates.
"There comes a time when members of the public decide they want to get out of poverty and move forward in development. I will call a meeting, sit down with Ukambani leaders so as to discuss development of the entire region," said Mutua.
Mutua said certain group of political leaders from the region were enemies of development who kept politicising projects initiated by the Machakos government so as to detract it from efficiently serving residents.
"The time for politics has not yet come. Political leaders from this region should tell the public development projects which they have done instead of unnecessarily criticising me for effectively serving residents of the Machakos County," said Mutua.
He said majority of people from the region suffer due to abject poverty for decades as leaders who they elect continue to exploit them.
"It is high time to start working well and properly plan for the public funds to execute 'maendeleo chap! chap!'," said Mutua.
Mutua said there was a crop of politicians from Ukambani counties who claimed he was interfering with politics of the region by changing living standards of the Machakos residents through effective service delivery and establishment of life changing projects.
He said such leaders should change their attitudes and support development so as to eliminate poverty that is high in the entire region.
"Some claim Mutua is interfering with politics of Ukambani if he provides free clean water, access to quality medication, improved infrastructure, access to electricity and jobs to unemployed youth across the Machakos County. The same people are fond of seeking power. Advocate for development to eradicate poverty that is high in this region if you get to the power," said Mutua.
Mutua, who commissioned 14 new water taps at Slaughter village in Mavoko Sub County before holding the public rally, was accompanied by several Members of Parliament and MCAs from Machakos, Makueni and Kitui counties.
They included Regina Ndambuki (Kilome), Benson Mbayi (Masinga), John Munuve (Mwingi North), Joe Mutambo (Mwingi Central), Recho Namai and former MP, Kalembe Ndile.
The MPs praised Mutua for his exemplary development track record arguing that he had put the entire Ukambani region on the national limelight through his good job.
They urged him to act in haste and mobilise all elected leaders from the region so as to discuss how the three Ukambani counties can be developed through benchmarking on Machakos development projects and replicating them in the other counties.
Mutua said the water project which had seen 47 locations across the Machakos County supplied with taped water and more than 1,000 bore holes had been supported by a Sh1.5 billion grant from President Uhuru Kenyatta.