Murathe: Uhuru and Ruto made no deal on 2022 succession
Former Jubilee Party vice chairman David Murathe. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr David Murathe stated that President Kenyatta is neither keen on who will succeed him nor does he want term extension.
- He explained that it was no longer reasonable for him to attack Dr Ruto as they both sit in Jubilee party's National Executive Council.
Former Jubilee Party chairman David Murathe has refuted claims that President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto got into a pact in 2013 for an automatic succession come 2022.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday, Mr Murathe said the Uhu-Ruto pact was for peace, and that any remarks that were made on the succession then were just for campaign purposes.
He also stated that President Kenyatta is neither keen on who will succeed him nor is he interested on term extension.
“If it was about winning an election, there were other better alternatives. But their unity was for peace, it was about communities working together,” said Mr Murathe.
PEACE
He added, “The agreement that was put on the table in 2013 was between the Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities. It was merely for peace, and not (for) winning an election, we did not have an agreement between individuals.”
He added: “Politics is a game of numbers. There are so many mutations that one can work with.”
This comes after President Kenyatta said he is not aware who will be the next president because it is God who ordains a leader.
Speaking in Ruiru, Kiambu County last Friday, where he opened a Sh20 billion Bidco Industrial Park, Mr Kenyatta said it is God who will determine who becomes president so leaders should stop getting agitated and instead serve Kenyans.
“Uchaguzi utakuja na Mungu ndiye hupeana uongozi. Tufanye kazi (God knows who will be elected. It is time to work),” he said.
VOTE
Mr Murathe also called on Dr Ruto’s allies who claim that President Kenyatta should honour his 2013 pledge to back the DP.
“The President has only one vote. People can agree but it doesn't mean he can convince Mt Kenya leaders. We are quite clear there was no MoU between us and DP,” he said.
Mr Murathe resigned from his post as Jubilee Party's interim vice-chairman earlier this year, citing the conflict of interest in his bid to block Deputy President William Ruto's 2022 presidential bid.
He explained that it was no longer reasonable for him to attack Dr Ruto as they both sit in Jubilee party's National Executive Council.
“I resigned on principle, I could not sit in the same table with NEC members after making those comments,” said Mr Murathe in an interview on a local television channel on Sunday night.
