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    Becoming a Governor Was Never Part of My Plan
    (Tv 47 digital, 2025-12) Kibwana, Kivutha
    Former Makueni Governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana has revealed that leading a county was never part of his initial ambitions. Speaking on Thursday December 5, 2024, Kibwana shared that his original goal was to chair the Constitution Implementation Commission (CIC), a position he actively pursued but ultimately did not secure. “I didn’t really plan to be a governor,” Kibwana said. “I thought I was going to be chair of the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution, but those days, to get that position, there had to be concurrence between Hon. Raila Odinga and President Kibaki.” Kibwana explained that while he performed well in the interviews, the lack of agreement between the grand coalition government leaders ,President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga meant he did not get the role. After a conversation with President Kibaki, who confirmed the position was out of reach, Kibwana pivoted to electoral politics and ran for governor.He further noted that even his decision to enter parliament was linked to his commitment to constitutional reforms. At the time, Kibwana believed that being a parliamentarian would enhance his chances of contributing to Kenya’s constitutional changes. “I became a member of parliament because I thought the Constitution had reached a point where the decision was going to be made in parliament. I wanted to play a role in its implementation,” he said, reflecting on his journey as an activist involved in constitutional reform. During his two terms as Makueni Governor, Kibwana distinguished himself as one of Kenya’s top-performing county leaders, frequently topping rankings and earning widespread acclaim for his transformative governance.
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    Kenya's Constitution Strong, but Accountability Remains Weak
    (The standard, 2025-04-28) Kibwana, Kivutha
    Former Makueni Governor Prof Kivutha Kibwana has called out the government for failing to fully implement the constitution, warning that key institutions are being undermined. Speaking on Spice FM on Monday, April 28, Kibwana said the constitution remains strong on paper but is not being effectively enforced. “We have a strong constitution, but up to now, we have not implemented it fully and done the things that the constitution says we need to do,” he said, adding, “These institutions are trying to do their jobs, but even as they do so, they are under attack.” He also pointed to weak parliamentary oversight, accusing MPs of being controlled by political kingpins. “Many MPs are controlled by the kingpin, and they accept directives to secure their political future,” Kibwana explained. He specifically criticised the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which he said leads to the misuse of public funds. “In the National Assembly, they are often influenced by the CDF, which leads to monkey business,” he added. Kibwana also accused members of county assemblies (MCAs) of being co-opted through contracts, undermining accountability at the local level.“If you interrogate closely, you might find that in many counties, MCAs are given contracts or their proxies,” he said.Despite the challenges, Kibwana remains firm that the constitution is strong, but he urged for more action to ensure its proper implementation. At the same time, Kibwana expressed concern about the capture of constitutional commissions, including the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), by the Executive.