Uhuru was betrayed by people close to him — Matiang’i

Jubilee deputy party leader Fred Matiang'i./SCREENGRAB

Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang'i has claimed that former President Uhuru Kenyatta was betrayed by some of the people he trusted and appointed to senior positions in government.

Speaking in Kiambu during a delegates’ meeting, Matiang’i said some leaders nominated by Uhuru to the East African Legislative Assembly and the National Assembly had turned against the Jubilee Party and its leadership.

“We know those people who betrayed Uhuru, and we will continue calling them out,” Matiang’i said.

He revealed that Uhuru had at one time cancelled an international meeting in order to attend the burial ceremony of the mother of one of the leaders he had appointed, saying the former president had always stood by his allies.

Matiang’i, however, maintained that the Jubilee Party would continue reaching out to its former members and leaders despite the political fallout.

He also defended Uhuru’s continued involvement in national politics, arguing that retired presidents have a democratic right to participate in political affairs.

He cited former United States President Barack Obama as an example of a retired leader who continued supporting his political party after leaving office.

The former Interior Cabinet Secretary further urged Jubilee members to respect leaders within the united opposition coalition, warning against public attacks on coalition partners through social media.

“There is a proper mechanism for handling issues instead of shouting on social media,” he said.

Matiang’i noted that the opposition alliance would continue working together, adding that their main political competitor remained the United Democratic Alliance and President William Ruto.

“Hatutaki ushenzi; we must respect our coalition partners,” he said.

He added that the Jubilee Party was making steady progress in its grassroots meetings aimed at reconnecting with party members across different regions of the country.