Muturi slams Uhuru for supporting Raila bid, warns of failure

Speaker Justin Muturi (center) at Bomas during DP’s National Delegates Congress (NDC). He was endorsed to be the party's flag bearer. [Boniface Okendo,Standard]

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi today warned that attempts by President Uhuru Kenyatta to push ODM leader Raila Odinga to succeed him will fail.

Muturi accused President Kenyatta of political bad manners and said that leaders must stand for their ideals rather than political expediency.   

"Show me anywhere in the world in a functional democracy where a sitting government decides to join forces with the opposition to form another government with complete disregard to the fact it is the government?" said Muturi.

“These are the political bad manners that I am talking about. We must stand for something and not just the pursuit of power," he said during the Democratic Party's National Delegates Congress (NDC) at Bomas of Kenya.

In Botswana, Muturi said, former president Ian Khama bypassed his then-deputy Mokgweetsi Masisi and endorsed opposition of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) against the ruling party's candidate.

Muturi, who was endorsed by his Democratic Party to be the party's flag-bearer, criticised party-hopping, saying politicians had taken advantage of parties and using them as special purpose vehicles to advance their political interests.

“Party-hopping has become part of our political culture. Everyone is looking to be in the winning team. Others are being lured by the highest bidders and none of them seems to stand for anything,” saidd Muturi.

The National Delegates Congress also appointed Muturi the party leader, taking over from Joseph Munyao.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

With DP being politically dormant for almost two decades, Muturi said rejuvenation of the party, which carried former President Mwai Kibaki to the ballot in the 1992 and 1997 elections, offered a fresh start and would allow Kenyans to witness change.

“Kenyans need to ask themselves the kind of people we are entrusting with political leadership. Change can only come when leaders of integrity stand and take up the leadership mantle,” said Muturi.

He said DP would seek to win elective seats.