Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa on Friday rejected as untrue claims by Jubilee MPs from Bungoma that they lobbied for his Cabinet appointment.
Through private secretary Isaac Wanjekeche, Eugene said he was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is the appointing authority.
“If indeed they lobbied for the CS, they should be doing the same for his removal, not screaming in funerals how they assisted him get the job,” Wanjekeche said.
MPs Didmus Barasa of Kimilili, Mwambu Mabonga of Bumula and John Waluke of Sirisia have held rallies to criticise Eugene, saying he was decamping after DP William Ruto helped him to land a Cabinet job.
“We helped our brother Eugene to get a Cabinet job through Ruto. He is now running up and down campaigning against Ruto on the pretext of supporting Raila Odinga,” Waluke said in Kabula on Tuesday.
‘Political mediocrity’
On Saturday, Eugene asked Jubilee MPs to stop “loitering” around Western region and pressuring him to endorse the DP’s 2022 bid without consent from the electorate.
He said he had met ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula and agreed never again to engage in “political mediocrity”.
Wanjekeche said the narrative by the MPs that Eugene supports Raila is a deliberate attempt to cast him in bad light in the eyes of the community.
“The CS has options that he will take up in the fullness of time but politicians should not push into his mouth whom to support and which option to make for 2022,” he said.
Wanjekeche said Eugene is not the gatekeeper of the Luhya votes to block Ruto.
“Ruto is allowed to campaign and look for votes anywhere in the country and Luhyaland is not an exception. The minister has nothing against Ruto as purported by the MPs,” he said.
Eugene is on record cautioning politicians against early 2022 campaigns. He asked MPs to focus on development in their constituencies.
Shelve ambitions
Early this week, MPsWaluke, Barasa and Mabonga urged Eugene to shelve his 2022 presidential ambitions and instead support Ruto. They said hewould lose relevance if he dared vie for the presidency.
Waluke said Eugene was advised to walk with Ruto to learn the ropes, but failed to follow. “We handed you over to Ruto so you can walk with him and he hands over the mantle to you in 2027, but it’s unfortunate you want to compete with him in 2022,” he said.
Waluke questioned why the list of those vying for the presidency was growing every day with candidates from the Luhya community.
Mabonga said, “We are not ready to be embarrassed in 2022. We can’t cheat ourselves that we have Luhya unity when we can’t support one person. Instead they are busy declaring they will run for the presidency,” Mabonga said.