Ruto didn’t try to sabotage Senate State House meeting, allies say

Senators allied to Deputy President William Ruto have denied claims that he tried to dissuade some of them from attending a State House meeting which resolved to remove Jubilee Senate leaders Kipchumba Murkomen and Susan Kihika as majority leader and majority whip respectively.

Endebess MP Robert Pukose accused some Senators of going off script as planned by DP Ruto and instead chose to grant the wish of President Uhuru Kenyatta to make the changes,

“The deputy president tried to call Trans Nzoia Senator Michael Mbito but he refused to pick his call. He was relying on him, among other senators, to deal a blow to the plans by the President,” Dr Pukose told journalists.

SMEAR CAMPAIGN

But Senator Mbito has dismissed the claims as a smear campaign orchestrated by the Endebess MP aimed at tainting his image with a tag of a traitor, saying he is loyal to the President who is the party leader.

“President Uhuru Kenyatta is the party leader of Jubilee and his authority cannot be questioned as long as he has a mandate to lead us. Branding me a traitor for honouring his invite is uncalled for,” he noted.

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The senator has further questioned what he termed as a move by Dr Pukose to take issue with his freedom of association, wondering why he now wants to determine which congregations he should attend and the ones he should not.

“The MP has been claiming that the deputy president influenced my election as a senator with the intention of infringing on my right of association. This is not right,” he complained.

DISLODGE MPS

Dr Ruto’s allies, led by the Endebess MP, former Cabinet Minister Kipruto Kirwa and Trans Nzoia Jubilee Party Chairman Richard Chesebeh, are said to be working on a plan to dislodge Senator Mbito and Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny from their respective seats.

But Mr Kuttuny has told off the leaders, terming their agenda as desperate and that they are the ones who failed to rightfully advise the deputy president on how to effectively achieve his dream of succeeding President Kenyatta.

RUTO’S ENEMIES

“The greatest enemies of the DP are his close allies who do nothing apart from singing his praises. They lack the strategies that can ensure that he marshals enough support without hurting the interest of common Kenyans,” he said.

But MPs supporting Dr Ruto have defended him, saying he has a role to play in party affairs.

Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono told the Nation that the DP has the right to be involved in the party affairs.

"That’s hot air. All the DP wanted is a clear path and our stand to be clear. If there are leadership changes, then we follow the law and consult widely," he said.

However, Soy MP Caleb Kositany who is also the DP’s spokesman, denied innuendos that Dr Ruto made telephone calls to persuade some senators not to attend State House meeting.

"The DP had at no time made any calls to any senator in a move to derail the party leader's meeting," said Mr Kositany.