The ruling Jubilee Party has resolved to remove Senator Irungu Kang’ata as Majority Chief Whip in the Senate and replace him with Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi.
Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju has announced that the party had arrived at a unanimous decision after considering a series of infractions which included breach of confidentiality.
“His biggest failure as far as leadership is concerned was discussing private matters with other parties. You don’t kiss and tell. It is that breach of confidentiality that has made his position untenable,” Tuju said.
During the party’s Parliamentary Group meeting at KICC, Nairobi today, Tuju brushed off Kang’ata’s claims that his removal had to do with a letter he to President Uhuru Kenyatta last month indicating that the BBI referendum push was unpopular in Central Kenya.
“That is not the case, at least not directly. Whatever opinion he had to make was within his rights but the manner in which he did it was wrong, especially matters that include the president,” Tuju added.
The SG also alluded that Kang’ata’s failure to honour meetings from the party’s top leadership contributed to his removal as Senate Majority Chief Whip.
Earlier in an interview, Kang’ata alluded to not knowing the agenda of today’s meeting, despite rumours in close circles.
“I am ready to face my accusers if at all it has anything to do with my letter. I will speak the truth,” he told KTN News.
He likened his troubles to those of Jesus, saying that his only mistake was his parents who instilled a strong foundation of always telling the truth in him.
The Murang’a Senator defended his decision to write a letter to the president and not address his issues verbally saying “I express myself better in writing. I tend to communicate better in writing and it’s also good to keep records.”
And in true fashion of down but not out, Kang’ata further alleged that Kenya’s problems began after the March 9 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
“We should not use BBI to divide our people. I am now noticing that this problem seems to have started after the handshake, now imagine the guy of handshake becoming the president of this country..,” he said.
Kang’ata’s woes began just days into the New Year, when he admitted in a letter addressed to the president that the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) was a hard-sell in Central.
The contents of the letter, which he has denied leaking to the media, elicited both praise and fury from politicians and Kenyans alike.
A week after his viral letter, Senator Kang’ata was in public domain again alleging threats on his life.
He told a local radio station that he had received death threats from unknown people and from government quarters, who were pressurising him to disown the letter.
“I have forwarded the text messages to DCI to an officer known as Mr Mwangi who is in charge of the investigations. I hope that the culprits will be brought to book,” he said.
Jubileee’s decision to de-whip Kang’ata comes as no surprise.
Yesterday, it expelled six nominated Senators over disciplinary violations, among them Isaac Mwaura, Millicent Omanga, Mary Seneta, Falhada Dekow Iman, Naomi Jillo Waqo, Victor Prengei, and Christine Gona.
