Nairobi,
KENYA
President of Kenya, Uhuru
Kenyatta on Tuesday told his political party (Jubilee) leaders he will pass the
baton to an heir who supports and values his legacy.President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta
In a
statement many will consider a veiled warning to Deputy President William Ruto,
Uhuru said he will support a candidate who will build on his
agenda.
The remarks suggest his 2022 options are wide open despite pressure from Ruto's allies for the Head of State to throw his weight behind the DP.
It was
also an open warning to Ruto to stop early political campaigns and support the
President's legacy projects if he has to bank his 2022 presidential ambitions
on the support of his boss.
In May
2018, at the height of aggressive countrywide campaigns by Ruto, the President
also told his Nyeri turf that his 2022 presidential choice will shock many.
Ruto's
allies then threw tantrums at the President accusing him of trying to renege on
an earlier promise that the DP would take over.
Speaking
during a Jubilee Coalition Parliamentary Group meeting, a furious Uhuru
maintained that there is no way he will rally behind anyone who will sabotage
the agenda he has laid for the country.
MPs who
attended the meeting held at State House in Nairobi said Uhuru warned that he
will not dither from shoving away any politician who would undermine his
leadership and national unity agenda.
“I will
be happy to know that the person I will be passing the baton to is part of my
agenda,” Uhuru told the 212 MPs.
The
President's remarks came after he enjoyed a night out with Opposition chief
Raila Odinga after the Madaraka Day celebrations at State House during the day.
The duo
arrived at the Nairobi CBD in the middle of the night and was seen inspecting
the re-carpeting of roads by the Nairobi Metropolitan Service.
The
remarks at the PG meeting attracted furious reactions from Ruto's key ally, Soy
MP Caleb Kositany, who said Kenyans have the constitutional mandate to elect
their president.
“Kenyans
have the votes, the winner will be the one who has the best manifesto and a
track record of development. The reason Kenyans are eager for the next election
is to end this culture of some people attempting to manipulate systems for
their own benefit,” Kositany said.
The DP's
early campaigns have been seen as disruptive to the President's agenda to build
an enduring legacy.
Affordable
housing, manufacturing, food security and universal healthcare are the four key
pillars of the President's legacy projects dubbed the Big Four Agenda.
Uhuru also
has another nine-point agenda with Raila to cure the country's recurrent
challenges by embracing national unity as manifested by the handshake on March
9, 2018.
The BBI
is expected to deliver that agenda.
Cherangany
MP Joshua Kutuny said the President was clear that he will no longer tolerate
MPs trying to undermine his agenda.
“MPs who
attended the PG understood clearly that the President did not mince his words.
He was clear that you either support his agenda or ship out,” Kutuny said.
At some
point, Uhuru is said to have banged tables vowing to firmly deal with those
acting in a manner likely to suggest that they are sabotaging his agenda.
Ruto who
was present during the PG listened pensively as his boss tore his allies apart
in a stormy session marked by tension and anxiety.
Uhuru was
invited to speak after Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju handed over the
microphone to Ruto who ushered him to the podium.
Ruto is
said to have told the President, "This is your day please come and speak
to your people.”
Uhuru
said he will not turn back on his camaraderie with Raila arguing he intends to
unite the country's communities to end electoral violence that has beset every
election cycle.
With
these projects at his heart, Uhuru painted a picture of a man under siege by
selfish politicians in constant politicking but with little regard to his
legacy plan.
In a move
described by those present as bold and fearless, Uhuru fired a salvo at Ruto
allies saying he will fight off any attempts to turn him into a lame-duck
president.
“Why do
you go all over abusing me and hauling all manner of insults at me, for once,
if you do not respect me why then can't you respect the institution of the
presidency,” Uhuru said.
The
President told the lawmakers that he was privileged with daily briefs about the
insults they make in their native languages across the country.
“Some of
you have gone as far as saying that I don't know what I am doing and that they
are the ones who have done all the development projects in the country,” Uhuru
said.
North
Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko who attended the meeting told the Star that the President
told the lawmakers to desist from early campaigns and respect the institution
of the Presidency.
“The
President directed us to focus our energies and efforts in ensuring that we
collectively deliver on the pledges and promises we made to Kenyans,” Nyamoko
said.
But
Kositany complained that the meeting was but a monologue.
“It was
unfortunate that the President talked to us angrily without giving us an
opportunity to air our concerns,” the Jubilee Party deputy secretary general
said.
He went
on, “It is sad that we had to wait for this meeting for three years only for us
to be called and the only agenda is to be insulted.”
Kositany
said the reason Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali and Cecily Mbarire (nominated)
were removed as National Assembly Majority Whip and Deputy Majority Whip
respectively was that they refused to succumb to pressure and support “certain
political narratives against their will.”
He said
Uhuru was "visibly angry” and he did not allow anyone else other than Tuju
and Ruto to speak.
“It is a sad day for democracy. None of us talked and he did not state his agenda for us in Parliament,” Kositany said. - The Star
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