• Murathe says President Uhuru Kenyatta will not hand over power to a thief.
• Murathe said Deputy President William Ruto and team Tangatanga have stopped working for Kenyans and are promising to work for Kenyans in 2023 yet the next election is three years away.
Image: DENNIS KAVISU
President Uhuru Kenyatta will not hand over power to a thief, according to controversial former Jubilee party vice-chairman David Murathe.
Murathe told a funds raiser for a church on Sunday that Uhuru has vowed that he will not allow a thief to rule.
"I know one thing for a fact that: Uhuru will not leave the country to thieves and a thief will not rule after him because Uhuru is not a thief," he said at PCEA Ngewa Church in Githunguri, Kiambu.
Murathe said Deputy President William Ruto and team Tangatanga have stopped working for Kenyans and are promising to work for Kenyans in 2023 yet the next election is three years away.
"You were given by Kenyans five years and another five years to work for them. Jubilee leaders are in government, but they have stopped doing development and are now telling us what they will do in 2023. Tell me – if you are in your right senses – can you be given work by Kenyans in 2017 and two years down the line you tell them no let's stop now we will deliver in 2022 once you make me President?" Murathe asked as he raised funds to build a home for the elderly.
Murathe accused Mt Kenya Jubilee leaders of being used to fight and antagonise Uhuru. He claimed some are so arrogant they now hurl abuse at him.
How can it happen that the DP and all (Rift Valley MPs) said that they are behind the President and support him during his tour of Eldoret, and our leaders in Mt Kenya are in the frontline fighting and insulting the President. Some stood in front of the President and said that from today I will tell the MPs to stop misbehaving, meaning he had sent them to misbehave in the first place
The former Gatanga MP said elected Mt Kenya leaders have a lot to learn from others including from their Rift Valley counterparts.
"Other leaders asked development projects and have assured Uhuru strong support when he was in Eldoret. But back home, they (Mt Kenya leaders) are focused on the 2022 narrative.
"We as voters in this region are wondering what they want to do in 2022 that they can't do now. We still have three years before the next polls and it seems they have forgotten Jubilee is the government. The President listens to his people. In fact, Uhuru has outlined what Kenyans want him to do and we all know."
Murathe told team Tangatanga to keep off party secretary-general Raphael Tuju. He said Tuju was appointed by the President and the constitution says he will stay there for three years before any party elections since he is an interim official.
"If they want the party, we will give them. Kenyans are not interested in politics," he said.
He said the person who quelled the post-2007 election violence was former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka as he said pledged to work with former President Mwai Kibaki. He did not start campaigning for himself to be the next president or rally MPs against Kibaki, Murathe said as he lashed out at Ruto and accused him of not showing any goodwill towards the fight against corruption.
You hear someone publicly saying that war on corruption will not hinder him from becoming the next President. What is corruption? Is it not stealing which cannot allow any development to go on?David Murathe
He defended Tuju over a leaked conversation between him and former Limuru MP George Nyanja. He said the conversation was about a church that was burnt in Kiambaa and people died. This, he said, is a fact.
He said those who dished out money in churches should lead by example by first building a church in Kiambaa as a show of good will and healing.
"Let us not be threatened in Jubilee of being sacked. If they want to sack Tuju let them do so, but they should know that he was appointed by the President and the party constitution stipulates that those acting officials of the party should be in office for a period of three years which ends in 2020. They should wait until party elections so that they can elect whomever they want and put their favoured persons," Murathe said.
He said even President Kenyatta left Kanu when he was blackmailed and threatened and joined TNA.
Kalonzo, the Wiper party leader, told the function that the war against corruption must be fought at all costs and thieves should not be given a chance to keep the loot.
He said that if the fight against corruption is taken seriously it must be taken to the next level and culprits arrested and prosecuted. "If we are serious in changing Kenya we must fight corruption at all cost because a thief is a thief and stern action must be taken against them. "
Kalonzo said the Judicial system must also change and play a major role in fighting corruption.
"In my view, the question we must ask ourselves is if the judicial system can take a whole three years to hear cases of corruption I think we have to look for a different formula and I suggest that we consider setting up a judicial commission."
He called on every Kenyan to support President Kenyatta in the fight against corruption.
"If we consider that the issue of corruption is taking too long and is spoiling the legacy of President, we should consider forming a commission on enquiry."
Kalonzo was accompanied by his party's national executive committee – Kitui Senator Enock Wambua, MPs Stephen Mule, Joshua Mwalyo, Musili Mawathe and Ben Momanyi and Machakos and Makueni MCAs.
The leaders commended the handshake between President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga as it had brought peace.
"We should stop political tribalism and leaders should be in the frontline in promoting peace," Wambua said.
Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba said leaders should go back to the grassroots and work for the mwananchi and deliver development. They should heed the President's call to stop politicking and instead work for Wanjiku.
"I support President Uhuru that we stop politicking. Right now I am on the ground working for Kiambu people and delivering development and empowering youth and women," Wamuchomba said.