Ruto allies in Central defy Uhuru, dare him after outburst

Deputy President William Ruto's allies in Central Kenya have dared President Uhuru Kenyatta to a political contest for castigating Tangatanga group.

In a rebellious move, MPs who spoke to the Star told off the President over his Sunday rant and dismissed his claims they rode on his back to Parliament.

The  growing defiance in the President's own backyard is the clearest signal of Ruto's stranglehold on his Tangatanga legislators. 

The Tatangatanga MPs comprise the majority of Central Kenya MPs in Parliament.

Kandara MP Alice Wahome yesterday termed as unfortunate the President's remarks that appeared to rubbish the MPs' role in Jubilee's victory in the 2017 polls.

"It is unfortunate that the President can stand on a religious podium and speak such words to his people. I do not think I am a beneficiary of anyone and I think that goes for everyone else," Wahome, a key Ruto ally, said.

On Sunday Uhuru came out guns blazing against his critics in his Mt Kenya backyard, warning them that he was still the region's political kingpin and that they should not mistake his silence for cowardice.

He called them mikora (thugs), saying they had failed to support him in his unity mission and promised to go around Mt Kenya region to deal with them.

But Kirinyaga Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici, a Ruto lieutenant, said she would not back down from the Tangatanga squad for "development missions."

The Woman MP said the President had turned against the very people he begged for support when the Supreme Court overturned his August 2017 victory.

“The President did not help us, instead we helped him. We respect him as the President but he should also listen to us. When his election was nullified, he was always calling us. Why did he not go campaigning alone?” Ngirici asked.

Ngirici, who is also the chairperson of Kenya Women Parliamentary Association, said as long as the people of Kirinyaga are not complaining about her performance she will continue “teaming up with the like minded Kenyans”.

“I was elected as a political leader and if my people are not complaining, why is the President complaining? We want to see him launching development projects in Mt Kenya. That is what we want,” she said.

 Ngirici accused Uhuru of double standards, saying he has never castigated the Kieleweke group, an amorphous team campaigning against the election of Ruto as President in 2022.

"It's only that they [Kieleweke] do not seem to have a candidate but they are also campaigning. They are all over abusing the DP, the principal assistant of the President and they do not see that as a problem,” she said.

Mukuruweini MP Anthony Kiai said the remarks by the President were in bad taste and likely to trigger widening fissures in Jubilee.

“The approach by the President, to me, was wrong. We recognise him as our President and our party leader and anytime he thinks we have gone astray, he should be able to call us for a meeting,” he said.

He said while political parties played a role in election victory, it was their pre-election development record that counted.

“It is unfortunate that when he is out of Mt Kenya region, he is very happy engaging the leaders in those regions calmly and when it come to us, he is very angry,” the MP said.

Kiai, who hosted the DP on Saturday in his constituency, said he will push on helping the President and the Deputy President in fulfilling the jubilee manifesto.

Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara said it was high time Uhuru called a parliamentary group meeting,  saying lack of bonding and unity of purpose was causing the jitters.

“We all know what brought us together into Jubilee family. The President and the DP brought us together and we made the commitment that we will stay together beyond 2022. That is the assurance that we want,” she said.

She added: “In case there are any other issues, we should sit down as a family and iron them out.”

Laikipia MP Cate Waruguru said Jubilee MPs appreciate the President as their party leader but wondered why the head of state spoke with such anger.

"He was really angry, but then there could have been a better way, even call us together and speak up his mind. We support development programmes under the government and that is why you see us accompanying the Deputy President to launch them," she said.

Starehe MP Charles Njagua also backed calls for a parliamentary group meeting to sort out issues in Jubilee, saying the situation is deteriorating and  MPs have no idea of the President's Big Four agenda.

"There is a problem in Jubilee that we must admit. I think the President needs to put Jubilee in order. Our party is in tatters and it is only Uhuru, our party leader, who can bring order," he said.

An MP from Nakuru county who sought anonymity said: “Uhuru should not use threats and insults. We also have ego”.

“If indeed Uhuru thinks we never supported him, let him step down and a seek fresh mandate without our support. He will surely see dust,” the MP said.

Kiambu MP Jude Njomo said he was surprised at the President's rant.

"The President perhaps may need to apologise sincerely to Kenyans over his anger. I personally don't understand why he reacted that way," he said.

However, Murang'a senator Irungu Kang'ata warned  MPs defying Uhuru that were it not for the President they would have fallen by the wayside in 2017 polls.

"You know in our region when you win a ticket of the main party you are almost guaranteed election,"the Majority Whip stated.

Irungu said Uhuru could have been angered by ongoing campaigns in his backyard that antagonise his unity drive and development agenda.

"He wants Kikuyus to support  a referendum to create an all-inclusive government which will guarantee peace for them going forward. The Deputy President should support this agenda,"he said.

 Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi told off President Kenyatta in a Facebook post.

"I was shocked to hear our Jubilee member number one Uhuru claiming that nobody assisted him in hunting for votes and further insinuating that there are leaders who were elected courtesy of him. Personally, I was elected by the great people of Kapseret . I owe them a lot of respect especially to my campaigners and more so voters," he said.