Mt Kenya Council of Elders has criticised President Uhuru Kenyatta over recent appointment of parastatal bosses, saying allies of Deputy President William Ruto were left out.
They said the appointments favour those supporting the handshake between Uhuru and Opposition chief Raila Odinga.
Majority of those opposed to the handshake are supporters of Ruto's 2022 presidential bid.
It is not clear whether Ruto was consulted before the announcement of the new appointments last week.
Those allied to Wiper and Kanu, parties seen to be supporting the handshake also benefitted. Most of the positions were previously occupied by Ruto allies.
Mt Kenya Council of Elders chairman Paul Mwati said the appointments were a clear indication the President and his Deputy were not reading from the same script.
“I want to remind the President that he is undermining his own statesmanship by frustrating and belittling his deputy,” Mwati said.
“The architects of the Jubilee government are both Uhuru and Ruto and this is a matter of public record and every effort aimed at undermining Ruto as the deputy President of Kenya will fail.”
Mwati told Uhuru that failure to address divisions in the Jubilee party may affect the delivery of his Big Four agenda. "History may judge him harshly for that."
The council asked Uhuru to review his relationship with Ruto, warning that "supporting another candidate in the 2022 General Election will not be the best path to take."
Mwati asked Uhuru to openly declare his stand on whether he will support Ruto as his successor when he retires in 2022.
"It is only the President who can end the confusion in the country and especially in Mt Kenya region on the political direction to take for the 2022 election.
Edited by P. Obuya
