I’m afraid for my life after Ruto’s threats, Mutua claims

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua on Monday accused Deputy President William Ruto and two of his close allies of threatening him as the 2022 succession battle turned murkier.

The Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader, who has also declared interest in the presidency but has recently been drifting towards opposition chief Raila Odinga’s camp, claimed the DP bullied him at State House last week.

Dr Mutua said National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and his Senate counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen also threatened him.

The second-term governor recorded a statement with the police saying his life was in danger and demanded more security.

Governor Mutua said he was at State House on the eve of Jamhuri Day when DP Ruto approached him and while “holding his hand tightly”, told him: “We jamaa umekuwa ukinichapa sana (you fellow, you have been attacking me very much),” after which, the DP added: “Wewe sasa lazima nikugonge. Nitakugonga (I must now crush you. I will crush you).”

“I was petrified, not only by the life-threatening words uttered by Dr Ruto but by the intensity of his eyes and the angry tone of his voice. I have been quite disturbed by these threats and I do believe that Dr Ruto is serious and capable of carrying out his threat to my life and general welfare,” Governor Mutua said.

ATTENTION-SEEKER

He claimed that on November 25, Mr Duale and Mr Murkomen threatened him by telling him “when you touch the DP, you touch us”.

He said he was at State House to witness President Kenyatta receive the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.

“While waiting for the function to start, National Assembly and Senate Majority Leaders Aden Duale and Kipchumba Murkomen, respectively, made threats to me. Mr Duale asked me what was wrong with me, saying that I have been attacking them and [he] will deal with me; while Mr Murkomen said they will have to teach me a lesson,” he said.

The governor further claimed that Mr Duale also made threats to members of his community living in Garissa, saying: “What will you do? Do you not know that there are 50,000 Kambas in Garissa and I can deal with them?”

Both Mr Duale and Mr Murkomen trashed Dr Mutua’s claims as fabrications.

Mr Duale said on Twitter that Governor Mutua was just seeking attention, saying such fictitious accusations are “only fit in his failed "Cobra Squad" TV show”.

“You will not gain relevance by shouting the names of leaders who have achieved more than you can ever do. Focus on Machakos, Mutua,” Mr Duale tweeted.

“The truth is, attention-seekers are looking for validation. They want to know they are worthy. You cannot use our names to increase your dwindling political shares in the village. We play a different league. Wacha vindiyo, cinema na vipendiree,” he added.

2022 SUCCESSION

Also on Twitter, Mr Murkomen said Governor Mutua has failed as a leader, adding that he was merely scripting another episode of his “Cobra Squad” (a Television series produced by Dr Mutua) show.

“Mr Mutua is writing another episode of his "Cobra Squad" series. Having failed spectacularly as a leader, he turned himself into a Joseph Goebbels of his county government. He is of no consequence to anyone to deserve any attention, let alone threats. Let us just watch the cinematic vipindiree,” he said.

Dr Mutua said he suspects his interest in advancing his political career by aiming for the Presidency as well as his fight against corruption and rights activism are among the issues that have led to the threats he is facing.

“I have not even mentioned DP Ruto and when I did, it was only by asking what more he will offer Kenyans come 2022. So why me? Why am I a threat to them?” Dr Mutua posed.

Dr Mutua’s predicament is reminiscent of a 2002 incident where former assistant minister and close ally of retired President Daniel Moi, the late Reuben Chesire, accused Dr Ruto of slapping him at State House.

Dr Mutua and Dr Ruto have been engaged in a long-standing cold war as the battle to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose second official term ends in 2022, heightens. The two, according to multiple sources, have not seen eye to eye since 2013.

STATE INVITATION

Governor Mutua’s closeness with President Kenyatta, the control of Ukambani politics and his ambitions to ascend to a higher officer after the expiry of his second and final term as governor are seen as the source of animosity between the two leaders.

On the eve of Jamhuri Day celebrations, Dr Mutua and his Kirinyaga counterpart Anne Waiguru were the only governors who had been invited to the dinner President Kenyatta hosted in honour of visiting Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley.

Moments before proceeding to State House for the dinner, Dr Mutua issued a press statement pouring cold water on the political alliance between Dr Ruto and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, which was proposed by former Machakos senator Johnstone Muthama.

Dr Mutua claims his assertions that the move to reach out to Dr Ruto was consistent with Wiper party style of auctioning the Kamba community to the highest bidder every election must have angered the DP.

Mr Musyoka did not grace the dinner but had that same evening described Mr Muthama’s remarks as a malicious attempt to drive a wedge between him and President Kenyatta.

Dr Mutua acknowledged the existence of long-standing hostilities between himself and the DP but said he didn’t expect the rivalry to get nasty.

“The DP is the second in command in the country and his words signalled a person determined to silence me,” he said.

CHESIRE ASSAULTED

He says that after consulting his family and State House officials, he decided to go public but had to wait until all the foreign dignitaries who were attending the summit on African, Caribbean and Pacific countries had left the country.

“The country knows how Dr Ruto slapped the late Eldoret North MP Reuben Chesire in a stormy afternoon at State House, Nairobi, sometime in 2002, after similar disagreements on politics,” he said.

In that 2002 incident, Dr Ruto was then a youthful first term MP who had beaten Mr Chesire on a Kanu ticket, and the scuffle happened as succession of former President Daniel Moi was gathering momentum.

In an interview with the Nation soon after recording statement at Kilimani police station, Dr Mutua enumerated several instances which made him believe the DP and his supporters were against him.

Reacting to Dr Mutua’s statement, Kilimani Police Station DCIO Fatuma Hadi told the Nation: “What is in public domain is what Governor Mutua recorded. We are going to investigate the veracity of the statements then we take the next step.”