Murkomen, Kega face off over President’s remarks on stolen cash
Seth Mwaniki and Antony Mwangi
Deputy President William Ruto’s allies yesterday hit back at President Uhuru Kenyatta over claims the latter was peddling falsehoods regarding the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
They instead asked Uhuru to direct his anger at Orange Democratic Movement Raila Odinga with whom they are spearheading the BBI campaign.
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah defended the DP, saying his only focus was implementing the Jubilee development agenda.
“It is sad that the President is saying the government lost Sh2 billion yet he is in charge.
The DP, who was the bogeyman, left the government a long time ago and paved the way for Uhuru’s Handshake brother,” said Murkomen, a veiled reference to Raila.
Ichung’wah on his part said the Hustler Nation movement was only interested in uniting Kenyans, but around ideas and not ethnic divisions.
“The Hustler Nation movement shouldn’t worry anyone, including the President.
It is pushing the same agenda of inclusion and uniting the people around ideas that transcend the parochial ethnic divisions propagated in the past to divide us,” said Ichung’wah.
“It seeks to bring everyone into the discourse of our national engagements in leadership and economy. It seeks to empower everyone to feel a part of the nation,” he added.
But Uhuru’s allies in the Mt Kenya region, including Keini MP Kanini Kega and his Nyeri town counterpart Ngunjiri Wambugu, defended the president’s remarks, saying they captured the feelings and aspirations of the Mt Kenya region.
They accused Ruto and his allies of sustaining a campaign of falsehoods to win support in the region.
Kanini said the president had set the record straight and asked residents to shun the “falsehoods” perpetuated by Ruto and his allies.
He asked Kenyans and residents of the Mt Kenya region in particular to take time, read and understand the BBI report before making informed decisions instead of poking holes at it.
“Kindly let us consider what the President is telling us. We are being taken round by some political leaders in order not to know the true position related to political leadership and development,” Kanini said.
Ngunjiri on the other hand warned Mt Kenya residents against dancing to the Hustler versus Dynasty political lyrics, saying it could visit the country serious problems.
“People are being made to believe they do not have enough because someone else somewhere is rich.
This is a dangerous narrative because you will start perceiving your neighbour who owns a cow and you don’t a dynasty then think of how to harm them as you claim their property,” he said.
