There was drama in Gatundu North constituency when hired goons, who had accompanied DP William Ruto and his allies walked out when CS Peter Munya was reading President Uhuru’s condolence message to the bereaved family. The two leaders were attending the burial of Thika Town MP’s mother in Gatundu North.
President Uhuru, instead of sending his Deputy, William Ruto to represent him during the funeral, he assigned the role to the Agriculture CS, something which rubbed the DP and his allies the wrong.
According to a source who spoke to writer on condition of anonymity, local goons were hurriedly mobilsed by allies of Ruto in Gatundu to counter the Head of State’s move of sidelining this Deputy at the funeral.
The state was aware Ruto would be in attendance, and to send Munya was a deliberate move. The Agriculture CS has been on an intense tour of the region for the last five weeks, over the Tea and Coffee sectors, meeting farmers.
According to Ngunjiri Wambugu, the hired goons numbered close to 200 who were strategically placed in the crowd for this mission.
”Mobilize 200 people to attend a funeral, and then strategically ‘walk-out’ when the President’s speech is being read. Objective is to prove that you are more popular than Uhuru in Mt Kenya. Outcome looks very foolish to those who know,” the Nyeri Town MP wrote on his social media handles on Wednesday evening.
Deputy President, who spoke before CS Peter Munya was seen as having taken an issue with those around Uhuru, who have ‘owned’ him.
“President Uhuru is our President and I want to plead with you as leaders and the people from this region, do not reduce the President to be a President of Mt Kenya alone,” Ruto said.
His comments were however not taken lightly by CS Peter Munya, who said Mt Kenya people, just like other Kenyans had a right to own the president.
“We have never said Uhuru is the President for Mt Kenya region alone. He is the President of all Kenyans and we respect him. Just as he is implementing development projects elsewhere, he is also doing for Mt Kenya because Mt Kenya is also part of Kenya. Therefore there is no problem as what the Deputy President has said,” Munya said.
The relationship between President Uhuru and DP Ruto has greatly deteriorated and it is believed the two no longer see eye to eye. Handlers of DP Ruto insisted he attend the burial in Gatundu North to pass political message to his Jubilee Party rival, Uhuru Kenyatta.
