NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 28 – A section of Members of Parliament from Mt Kenya who are loyal to Deputy President William Ruto have written a hard-hitting letter to President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of a strategy meeting this weekend.
The leaders who wrote the letter are largely supporters of Ruto whom they see as a better option after rebelling against the ruling party Jubilee in what they blame on the March 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The meeting in Sagana called to drum up support for the Building Bridges Initiative will bring together elected leaders including MPs, Governors, Senators and former leaders.
It is understood that only leaders seen to be loyal to the president were invited to the meeting, leading to the explossive letter signed by 41 leaders among them Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kangata who had also written to the president on January 1, expressing his fears on the state of BBI support in Mt Kenya.
On Thursday, Kang’ata’s signature was listed along those of Ndindi Nyoro, Alice Wahome, Moses Kuria among others-all seen to gravitate around DP Ruto who is leading a rebellion in the ruling Jubilee party.
In their letter, the leaders said they will not champion an agenda fronted by Orange Democratic Movement Party Leader Raila Odinga, the same person Kenyatta cautioned them against during the 2013 and 2017 General Election.
“We must be direct and truthful with you: We cannot sell Raila Odinga in our region or, indeed, any other imposed presidential candidate. You blame the leaders and people of the Mt. Kenya region for being reluctant to accept the Handshake and the BBI. It is not their fault. The successful effort you made to persuade the people and render Raila Odinga unacceptable in Mt. Kenya cannot be undone in your lifetime,” part of the letter reads.
The letter comes at a time the electoral commission has sent the BBI Bill to counties for debate within the next 90 days before it is taken back to Parliament ahead of a national referendum in June. Half of the 47 counties are required to appove the Bill for it to be taken to Parliament.
“The new political turn in the conduct and practice of politics has, therefore, left us disappointed and outraged. Our people are honourable people, whose lives and livelihoods are based on honesty and trust. Many are devoted Christians. As entrepreneurs and businesspeople, our people’s lives depend on trust and honesty. The new political agenda propounded by a faction publicly allied to you, which seeks to normalize treachery, dishonesty, deceit and betrayal as defining traits of our region and people is tragic, dangerous and unacceptable,” the letter reads.
On the economy, the leaders pointed out that the region is “limping and groaning” as businesses were closed indefinitely forcing traders mostly from Nyamakima, Gikomba and Kirinyaga road in Nairobi to retreat back to their villages while blaming the Jubilee administration of mismanaging the economy.
They blamed the move on policies of Kenyatta’s administration saying import and export trade, which employed millions of traders from the region, was viciously disrupted when merchandise that formed the mainstay of countless enterprises was branded counterfeit.
The legislators who said that Sagana meeting will not be the solution to the deep-rooted issues affecting their people socially, economically and politically, called on President Kenyatta to focus on service delivery and salvaging his legacy which they claim is already tainted.
They further blamed Kenyatta for the disquiet in the region saying it is a result of the harassment and humiliation of political leaders who disagree with his administarion using State agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Asset Recovery Agency to harass those who do not agree with his political trajectory.
“After intimidation failed, our leaders were removed from parliamentary leadership positions and committees. These positions were given to ODM, the party we decisively defeated in the last election. The people of our region are not new to abuses of State power,” the leaders said.
Other than Kanga’ata, majority of those who appended their signatures on the letter are leaders associated with Tanga Tanga faction that support Deputy President William Ruto including Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa, his Gatundu South counterpart Moses Kuria, Rigathi Gachagua (Mathiar), Alice Wahome (Kandara) and Senators Susan Kihika(Nakuru) and Mithika Linturi(Meru) among others.
Kang’ata had written a similar letter to President Kenyatta saying only 2 in 10 people from Mt. Kenya were in support of the BBI.
The relationship between President Kenyatta and his Deputy Ruto has been on the rocks for several months now, but it has lately widened with the Head of State accusing him of undermining him.
Last week, Kenyatta dismissed the dynasty versus hustler narrative started by Ruto as divisive, saying it is was fueling hatred against privileged people
“We cannot empower the youth through incitement,” the President cautioned.
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