Kalonzo chides DP Ruto for alleged role in raiding opposition for politicians
What you need to know:
- The DP reportedly engineered a massive defection that targeted at least 40 leaders — MPs, senators and governors — from Wiper, Ford Kenya and ODM parties.
- On Thursday, Mr Musyoka said that he had let go of the MPs, but immediately warned that the defectors would be handed a lesson by the voters at the ballot.
Cord co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka on Thursday used Mashujaa Day celebrations to chide Deputy President William Ruto for his alleged role in raiding the opposition ahead of the 2017 General Election.
The DP reportedly engineered a massive defection that targeted at least 40 leaders — MPs, senators and governors — from Wiper, Ford Kenya and ODM parties.
On Thursday, Mr Musyoka said that he had let go of the MPs, but immediately warned that the defectors would be handed a lesson by the voters at the ballot.
Speaking during the celebrations held at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos, he told defectors who moved to Jubilee Party to stop issuing ultimatums to him, but instead direct them to President Kenyatta, who is now their party leader.
Mr Musyoka was reacting to comments by four MPs from the region, who issued an ultimatum to him to convene a regional leaders’ meeting and chart political destiny of the community ahead of the 2017 elections.
Addressing the Deputy President the Wiper Party leader said: “But let me tell you one thing Mr Ruto, and you have been the one coming for our MPs here, do not be surprised if those who have betrayed the wananchi all go home in 2017.”
Mr Musyoka’s statements might come as a relief to the MPs, who were staring at a by-election, had the party made good its threat to remove them from its roll of members. Those who defected to Jubilee from Wiper are Mr Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni), Kilome’s Regina Ndambuki, Mr Joe Mutambu (Mwingi Central), and Mr John Munuve of Mwingi North.
ALFRED MUTUA
But Mr Musyoka singled out Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua, whom, he said, had joined Jubilee. Dr Mutua has, however, not defected to Jubilee but formed his own party, Maendeleo Chap Chap. This was after the governor had backed President Kenyatta’s 2017 re-election bid.
“Mr President, these people should let you finish cooking. You have cooked ugali, now we support you to finish cooking vegetables,” Dr Mutua had said in reference to the President’s search for a second term.
But President Kenyatta dismissed Mr Musyoka’s claims that the defecting MPs were now his.
“Na nataka kuambia Kalonzo kwamba alivyosema hao MPs wote ni wangu. Hata wewe ni wangu. (I want to tell Mr Kalonzo that indeed all these MPs are mine. Even you, you are with me),” President Kenyatta said.
DP Ruto said Jubilee was uniting the country.
“We will ask God to help Cord merge, like we did in Jubilee because as it stands we are not on the same level. If you unite, we can then compete at the same level,” Mr Ruto said to the amusement of those in attendance.
