• The assertions by Murathe, sadly made at a church function, are in bad taste.
Image: FILE
This is in response to former Jubilee Party vice-chairman David Murathe’s assertions that President Uhuru Kenyatta will not hand over power to a thief, in reference to Deputy President William Ruto.
For the record, Murathe should know that the Deputy President has never been convicted of stealing anyone's property, and more so he is not facing any criminal case in courts.
The assertions by Murathe, sadly made at a church function, are in bad taste coming at a time some elements within the Jubilee Party have launched a futile crusade to stop the masses from electing the DP as heir to Uhuru.
Murathe does not speak on behalf of the President. There has never been anytime the President appointed the former Gatanga MP as his spokesman or that of the Kikuyu community.
It is to be recalled that early this year Murathe made unsubstantiated claims that the DP rigged out influential politicians he considered a threat to his 2022 presidential bid during the Jubilee Party primaries. This is the same narrative being peddled by the DP’s detractors but they should know that Kenyans made their choices without undue influence.
While it is his constitutional right to air his views, he should also as a leader set the record straight on his perceived role in graft.
For one, Murathe should stop masquerading as Kikuyu community spokesman. His perceived closeness to President Uhuru Kenyatta does not give him the mandate to masquerade as representing Mount Kenya region voters.
Two, Murathe should come clean on whether he has been acting as a broker between the Chinese investors and the government.
He has not denied claims published by the media that hordes of Chinese investors were trooping to his home in a bid to get government contracts. This is corruption since government contracts are supposed to be tendered for in a transparent manner.
Murathe should come clean on whether he claims to be the President’s adviser on economic affairs. He should tell the public which gazette notice or presidential directive appointed him to the docket.
Murathe should tell the public what happened to the company, Memory Computers which he registered around 2004 to supply computers to both the government and private sector.
Why did he fall out with his partner, one identified as Mr Wahinya, and did he pay the creditors after striking lucrative deals in Uhuru administration.
It is not a secret that after failing to pay the Sh50 million loan, Murathe in 2005 filed for bankruptcy to frustrate creditors from pursing him.
It is time he told the public whether he moved to court to have the bankruptcy orders lifted for him to serve as Jubilee Party vice chairman.
He should also come clean on allegations he is part of a group influencing the giving of work permits to foreigners.
Was he behind the woes that faced Jane Waikenda, then Director of Immigration, when she was arrested for issuing work permits to foreigners?
Murathe should tell Kenyans the truth over his abortive resignation as MP in 1998 where he was allegedly paid Sh10 million by SK Macharia to do so. It is imperative to note that then Speaker of the National Assembly Francis ole Kaparo found the signature in the resignation letter to have been genuine but left the matter to ‘Murathe’s conscience’.
Murathe needs to come clear on why he failed to raise his voice during the alleged Jubilee Party primaries rigging. Did he tell the President what Ruto was then doing? If not, is he also not guilty of failing to expose a crime?
Stephen Kimani is a member of the Farmers Party