Year that Ruto’s allies found themselves on the back foot

 

Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri when he arrived at the Nakuru DCI offices to surrender his firearms. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

This year will be engraved in the minds of many politicians, especially those who broke bread with Deputy President William Ruto.

Their hearts were broken and friends turned into foes as the Jubilee Party split into two rival camps – Kieleweke and Tangatanga.

The year started off on the wrong foot as Ruto and his allies found themselves as the de facto opposition after being elbowed out of Government by ODM leader Raila Odinga.

The bone of contention was the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) — the brainchild of Raila and President Uhuru Kenyatta after their famous handshake in 2018 — whose first major rally was held at Gusii Stadium in Kisii County on January 10.

Two days later, details emerged that Ruto had been locked out of his official residence in Mombasa in December, forcing him and his wife to put up in a coastal hotel.

The revelation sparked outrage among his allies who accused State proxies of driving a wedge between him and the president.

Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri, a diehard Ruto supporter, addressed the Press at a Nakuru hotel and castigated high-ranking Government officials for allegedly disrespecting the deputy president.

“We are ready to pay the price in standing with the DP. They can arrest us but they won’t stop his bid. The BBI meeting in Kisii was Raila Odinga’s campaign using State resources the same way he turned the 2005 referendum into a political party,” said Ngunjiri.

His sentiments, however, earned him a date with officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations who ordered him to surrender his firearms, which are yet to be returned.

“I was summoned and recorded a statement. It was about my address to the Press concerning how Government officials were treating DP Ruto. I wonder why I am being victimised,” Ngunjiri told The Standard in January.

The next BBI meeting was scheduled to be held at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega County, but Ruto’s allies organised a parallel meeting in Mumias on the same day. The State swiftly declared the gathering illegal.

MPs Justus Murunga (Matungu), John Waluke (Sirisia), Didmus Barasa (Kiminini), Dan Wanyama (Webuye West) and Charles Gimose (Hamisi), former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa had planned to attend.

Police, however, denied them space to address their supporters in three different locations where they dispersed them with teargas.

The Covid-19 pandemic in March prompted the Government to ban public gatherings. Focus then turned to the internal affairs of the Jubilee Party that had become murky.

Bloodbath in Parliament

In May, a bloodbath in the National Assembly and Senate led to the ouster and replacement of legislators seen to be loyal to Ruto with those considered pro-handshake.

Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika (left), Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen (right) with Malindi Mp Aisha Jumwa after they were briefly denied access to Nakuru Central Police Station during the case of Kapseret Mp Oscar Sudi which was conducted via a Video Link on September 16, 2020. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The biggest casualties were Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet) and Majority Whip Susan Kihika (Nakuru), who rebuked the party over the decision.

“I have just started my political life. I believe there will be a brighter future. We will come back, and come back big,” Murkomen told the Press outside the Senate.

Kihika described their removal as null and void, arguing that it went against all laws. “The purported coalition agreement that has seen us removed and replaced was not sanctioned by the relevant party organ, the National Executive Committee, as required under Article 32.2 of the constitution of the party.”

But this did not stop the party from replacing her with Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a) while Murkomen’s shoes were filled by Samuel Poghisio (West Pokot).

At the National Assembly, Majority Leader Aden Duale (Garissa) was fighting his removal but he was eventually replaced by Amos Kimunya (Kipipiri). Ruto’s allies were also removed from key sectoral committees in Parliament.

Days after assuming the Majority Chief Whip post, Kang’ata moved an ouster motion against Senate Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki, whom he accused of violating the Political Parties Act, the Constitution of Kenya, and the Jubilee Party Constitution.

Kindiki had failed to attend a State House meeting on May 11, putting him in the administration’s bad books.

Two nominated senators — Millicent Omanga and Victor Prengei — who also failed to attend the State House meeting were summoned before the party’s disciplinary committee where they were at pains to defend themselves.

Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga before the Jubilee Party disciplinary committee. [File, Standard]

“I did not receive any invite and no one made a follow-up to know whether all the senators had received it. I have over 700 messages on my phone,” Omanga told the committee.

“In my village, Mr Chairman, we have very poor network coverage, a poor road network and no electricity. My phone was off so I came to Nakuru to charge my phone. A colleague asked me why I didn’t come to the meeting when I was on my way to Nairobi,” said Prengei.

In June, Ruto and the axed allies opened a new office dubbed Jubilee Asili Centre after they were denied access and use of the Jubilee Party headquarters.

Although Jubilee Asili is yet to be registered as a political party, at least two new political parties have been registered and are being fronted by Ruto’s close allies. They are the People’s Empowerment Party and United Democratic Alliance.

In September, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi was dramatically arrested and flown from Eldoret to Nakuru for questioning following his remarks on the president and his family that the State said bordered on hate speech.

Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi at Nakuru Law Court on October 6, 2020. [File, Standard]

His sentiments had sparked outrage among women who staged street protests in various towns across the country.

“I was very surprised to see so many women agitated that I referred to women’s breasts. It is even in the Bible. That was not an insult. I will apologise once people show me where I went wrong,” Sudi told journalists.

At the same time, Emurua Dikirr MP Johanna Ng’eno was arrested for allegedly plotting to incite families living in Mau Forest, and making demeaning statements against the president.

Emurua Dikir Mp Johana Ngeno at Nakuru Central Police Station after a court session which was conducted via a Video Link on September 8, 2020. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

That was the second time Ng’eno was running foul of the law this year. He had been arrested in February for allegedly holding an illegal BBI meeting at Kimogoro trading centre in Narok South.

Throughout the year, Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju and his deputy Caleb Kositany were engaged in squabbles over changes to the party’s National Management Committee, party finances and even use of stationery.

In July, Kositany demanded that the party discloses expenditure that ran into billions of shillings. Tuju’s response was scathing.

“I have received your letter in which you demand to be furnished with audited accounts of the Jubilee Party. You have signed off as the deputy secretary-general. All these expose an extreme form of megalomaniac behaviour. Unfortunately, in this office, we do not have the capacity or qualification to deal with such malady.”