Former President Uhuru Kenyatta says he will not relinquish his position as the Jubilee Party leader and has vowed to stay active in the party’s politics, noting that intimidation and threats to force him into retirement won’t make him cave in.
Speaking on Monday during the Jubilee Party National Delegates Conference (NDC) at the Ngong Racecourse, Mr. Kenyatta told the delegates he thought he would retire but opted to stay put after some people thought they could intimidate him.
”Kwa fikira zangu fikira zangu zilikua zimeniambia yakwamba siasa mimi nlikua nataka mimi nilegee na niende nishugulikie mambo ingine. Na nilikua nafikiria yakwamba siku ya kuitana mkutano wa National Delegate Conference (NDC) ingekua ile siku yakwamba mimi ningekua nawaambia ‘wenzangu sasa mimi nimetimiza ile nimeweza na sasa ni wakati wa kuchagua viongozi wengine. Lakini wengine wameamua yakwamba kazi itakua ya vitisho na kulazimisha. Siku ya leo nimewaambia tufuteni mwingine sio Uhuru wa Kenyatta,” Uhuru said.
The Jubilee leader told the delegates present that he handed over power peacefully in broad daylight even when he was being insulted and that he just sat and watched as people insulted him, stole sheep, and set land on fire thinking that they could scare him.
“Tukapatiana uongozi kwa amani hadharani mchana. Ata wakati wananitukana nkakaa tu kimya nikasema sawa ni haki yao watende yale wanataka. Nikakaa nimekimya na yale yametokeza matusi, kuiba mbuzi, kuchoma mashamba yote wakifikiria wanatisha. Aya nawaambia waendelee,” he said.
The former head of state further cautioned that his silence should not be mistaken for fear.
“Heshma si utumwa it’s a two way street. Na kuona wengine wamenyamaza sio kusema wameogopa, no get that out of your mind. Chukueni ile munataka mufanye vitisho that will never work. Haiwezi,” Uhuru said.
