Murathe: Uhuru did not target Raila with traitor remarks
Jubilee Party vice-chairman David Murathe.
Jubilee Party vice chairperson David Murathe has clarified that former President Uhuru Kenyatta's traitor jibe targeted his ex-allies who abandoned him to work with his political friend-turned-rival, President William Ruto.
Murathe said Mr Kenyatta was targeting people he helped build their political careers only for them to betray him in his hour of need.
Speaking to Nation.Africa, Mr Murathe clarified that Kenyatta was referring to politicians present at Saturday's event who have since defected and are now working with President Ruto.
“The former president was talking to the leaders present at the church event who turned against him despite supporting them to make political, cabinet and ambassadorial positions,” Mr Murathe said.
“Those in attendance know what they did. The former president was only comfortable with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna at the event. He also talked about the 30 pieces of silver and those who sold their souls know,” he added.
Mr Murathe indicated that he had a chat with Mr Kenyatta, who affirmed his unwavering support for the opposition leader Raila Odinga, saying he is also campaigning for him to secure the Africa Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship job.
He dismissed claims that the Azimio leader is in bad books with Mr Kenyatta over his relations with Ruto and the government’s support for the continental job.
AUC chairmanship
“The former president and the Azimio leader are talking regularly and even had a long phone call on Tuesday to deliberate on a number of issues including the AUC chairmanship job and therefore anyone saying the contrary is not true. Azimio is intact,” said Mr Murathe.
While speaking during the Episcopal Ordination of the auxiliary Bishops-elect Simon Peter Kamomoe and Wallace Ng'ang'a Gachihi at St Mary’s Msongari Grounds in Nairobi on Saturday, Mr Kenyatta launched a scathing attack on unnamed individuals, calling them traitors.
The former head of State, not mincing his words, took on some political leaders whom he termed traitors, lamenting how the political field in Kenya is full of betrayal.
The fourth president lashed out at the unnamed individuals, warning they would not go far with their betrayal.
“The nuncio has talked about betrayers in the church but I want to say that I don’t see a lot of betrayals in the church. Betrayal is on the other side (as he pointed to the side occupied by political leaders),” said Mr Kenyatta.
“To the traitors, I want to tell them that even Judas (Iscariot) betrayed Jesus but he later left the pieces of silver and hanged himself. Everything will all come to an end,” he added.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Chief Justice Martha Koome, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Cabinet Secretaries Moses Kuria and Susan Nakhumicha, former CS Monica Juma and a host of Kenya Kwanza and Azimio politicians, including Sifuna, Beatrice Elachi, and Tim Wanyonyi attended the event.
Yesterday, Mr Murathe singled out Public Service CS Kuria, CJ Koome, President Ruto’s National Security Advisor Ms Juma, Speaker Wetang’ula and Governor Sakaja as having rattled Mr Kenyatta, who was in pain over their betrayal despite his immense support in building their careers.
“Each of these people have a story to tell on how they made it and the support they received. He (Uhuru) went out of his way to build their careers, yet they turned their backs at the slightest opportunity. These are the political traitors he was talking about,” said Mr Murathe.
On Sakaja, he said it was Kenyatta, who appointed him as the chairman of the defunct The National Alliance (TNA), giving him a platform to launch his political career where he would make his debut in the political scene as nominated MP.
Similarly, he argued that Mr Kuria benefited from Mr Kenyatta’s support to become Gatundu South MP in the 11th Parliament.
Mr Kuria’s political journey started when he joined former President Mwai Kibaki's team through Mr Kenyatta’s Kanu Party.
Mr Kuria was elected unopposed as the new lawmaker in 2014 on the TNA party following the death of the then Gatundu South MP Jossy Ngugi.
Mr Murathe said the ex-president was taken aback by how fast former CS Juma shifted allegiance by joining the Ruto camp, "betraying his trust in the process."
Without going into details, he said the others have also not been any better, adding that they know what Mr Kenyatta did to each of them but still decided to go against him.
