Respect political parties from Mt Kenya, Murathe tells DP Ruto

Jubilee Party Vice-Chairman David Murathe during the Muranga County's Azimio la Umoja forum. [File, Standard]

Jubilee party National Vice-Chairman David Murathe has accused Deputy President William Ruto of doublespeak and out to kill political parties in Mt Kenya region.

Speaking during Azimio la Umoja forum in Murang’a County, Murathe challenged DP Ruto to treat Mt Kenya parties the way he is treating Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) and Moses Wetangula’s Ford-Kenya if he wanted the region to take him seriously.

Murathe slammed the DP for forcing small parties’ in the Mt Kenya region to fold and join his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party while in other regions, he was ready to partner with regional parties.

The outspoken former lawmaker was referring to the Sunday announcement by Ruto that the UDA party will partner with ANC and Ford-Kenya party ahead of the August 9 polls.

“When he comes to our region, he calls the parties tribal and want the likes of Mwangi Kiunjuri (The Service Party), Mwangi Wa Iria (Usawa Kwa Wote party) and Moses Kuria (Chama Cha Kazi) to join his UDA, but in other parts of the country he is ready for a coalition,” he said.

Murathe said it was the hypocrisy of the highest degree to refer to Mt Kenya parties as village outfits while endorsing other parties.

"He [Ruto] has been running around the country telling us he was building a national party called UDA, on Sunday you all saw on TV saying he was ready to work with ANC and Ford Kenya.”

While addressing ANC party delegates at the Bomas of Kenya, Ruto said they have held discussions with Mudavadi and have agreed to craft a winning formation.

He said they will hold joint rallies across the nation starting next week to drum up support for their coalition.

Ruto is on record ruling out a possible coalition with other parties saying whoever wants to work with him must fold his outfit and join UDA.

Ruto claimed coalition talks were schemes by party leaders to secure positions for themselves ahead of the polls.

“These small parties are vehicles used by their leaders to bargain for positions. Politics of ethnicity benefits only a few leaders with positions and privilege,” said Ruto.

Speaking in Kwale County on November 28, 2021, the DP said he had established a national political party to bring all Kenyans together regardless of ethnicity or social status. He ruled out the possibility of entering a coalition with what he termed ‘ethnic parties’.

Raila visit

Murathe said the Jubilee party will hold a National Delegates Convention (NDC) in the coming weeks to officially endorse Raila Odinga's State House bid.

“We don’t have a candidate and as a party, we will soon hold an NDC to endorse Raila’s candidature,” he declared.

Murathe told the Central Kenya voters to back Raila in the forthcoming polls, saying he has the capacity to fight corruption and unite the country.

He claimed were it not for the former PM, DP Ruto could have rocked President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

He warned Mt Kenya voters against electing DP Ruto in the August 9 election, saying he had demonstrated that cannot be trusted with power.

During the event, Raila med politicians, youth and opinion shapers from Murang'a to discuss the county’s stakes in the Azimio la Umoja movement ahead of the August 9 election.