15 Kitui MCAs who met Ruto kicked out of committees

Fifteen Kitui MCAs who met Deputy President William Ruto at his Karen home in Nairobi have been kicked out of assembly committees for disloyalty.

They were called well-known self-seekers and party-hoppers for hire.

On Monday and Tuesday they accompanied Jonathan Mueke, Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu's presumptive 2022 rival, to meet Ruto in Nairobi.

On Thursday, the Kitui assembly led by Speaker George Ndotto disowned the MCAs from Wiper, Narc and CCU. Their parties dewhipped them and stripped them of committee memberships.

They were accused of disloyalty to their parties and furthering the ideals of UDA, which is associated with DP Ruto.

A statement read out to the media by Ndotto at the assembly precincts said Kitui MCAs generally supported Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka's 2022 presidential bid.

He said Ruto who is running for president does not have an iota of following in Kitui county.

“Those purporting that they can popularise his (Ruto’s) candidature in Kitui are either hallucinating or stretching their imagination too far,” the statement said.

Ndotto also called for respect for Ngilu seemingly because the 15 MCAs had accompanied Mueke to visit Ruto.

The speaker said the Kitui assembly disassociated itself from the pro-Ruto MCAs.

The Wiper letter dewhipping the only legislator to visit Ruto, Alex Wambua, was signed by Majority Chief Whip Stephen Musili. The letter to Narc MCAs was signed by Minority leader Alex Nganga.

Wambua termed the action an affront to democratic ideals that encourage freedom of association. “I went to meet Ruto, the deputy Jubilee Party leader just as our leader Kalonzo has variously been meeting President Uhuru Kenyatta of Jubilee,” he said.

Narc’s John Kisangau representing Kwa Vonza said he did not regret meeting Ruto.

He said the Kitui leaders who were panicking because just 15 MCAs met Ruto were in for a shock as in a month 200,000 residents would join UDA.

(Edited by V. Graham)