- Last week, Muturi claimed that Kenya Revenue Authority has informed him of its intention to scrutinise his tax records.
- He criticised the move as attempt to intimate and threaten him because of his political position that is contrary to that of the ruling administration.
Image: BENJAMIN NYAGAH
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has scathingly attacked President Uhuru Kenyatta over his leadership style.
He hit out at the Jubilee administration for what he termed intimidation and dictatorship.
For the second week, Muturi, who hails from the President’s Mt Kenya backyard and has declared his interest in the presidency, has taken on the head of state, further exposing the cracks in the Jubilee house.
The attacks come at a time when the President appears keen to persuade top political guns from Muturi’s home turf to support his handshake partner, ODM leader Raila Odinga.
The president has already fallen out with Deputy President William Ruto.
On Wednesday, Muturi took on the President for the purge of DP’s allies in Parliament last year, accusing the party leadership of dictatorship.
In faulting the move, he said the party would have informed the affected members, notify him and his Senate counterpart and give the members time to defend themselves.
“You don’t just wake up and say we are throwing you out. You are out in the cold. That is a dictatorship,” he said on a radio show.
In the radical expulsion, top allies of the DP were kicked out of influential parliamentary positions and committees.
They were Garissa Township MP Aden Duale who was kicked out from the powerful national assembly Majority leader seat and Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali who was removed as Majority Whip.
They were replaced by the President’s men-Amos Kimunya (Kipipiri) and Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo).
In the Senate, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and his Nakuru counterpart Susan Kihika were de-whipped as Majority leader and Majority whip respectively.
Last week, Muturi also claimed that Kenya Revenue Authority has informed him of its intention to scrutinise his tax records.
He dismissed the move as an attempt to intimate and threaten him because of his political position that is contrary to that of the Jubilee administration.
“We will not be intimidated. I told them I'm open for scrutiny and I have nothing to fear. You can intimidate some people but not all,” he said during a meeting with Mt Kenya grassroots leaders at his Embu home.
“Threatening people with opening files and investigations should stop; I will stand with the leaders who are being intimidated for supporting me.”
Early this month, political heavyweights and business tycoons from Meru endorsed Raila for president in a historic gesture seen to have been orchestrated by the President.
In a meeting at Safari Park Hotel, Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, who had previously supported Muturi’s bid, and Lapsset board chairman Titus Ibui led the powerful delegation in endorsing the ODM boss.
The endorsement came days after the President held a closed-door meeting with the leaders at State House, Nairobi.
Sources indicated that Uhuru implored the leaders to back Raila for president in next year’s general election.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris