This is my problem with DP Ruto Murathe

When David Murathe resigned from his position as Jubilee Party interim vice-chairman on Sunday he blamed the surprise move on the conflict of interest arising from his bid to block Deputy President William Ruto from succeeding President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022.

Murathe, a man believed to be in the president’s innermost political circle, said he could not continue sitting in Jubilee’s National Executive Council (NEC) with a man whom he intends to ensure does not ascend to the country’s top most job.

“I now find that it is no longer tenable to stay on as the party vice-chairman, given that I will have to sit in the same National Executive Council with a man I am taking to court to block from running for president,” Murathe said in a press briefing at home in Nairobi.

While his resignation was met with mixed reactions in the political arena, it is the indication that he would go to any lengths to stop Ruto from becoming Kenya’s fifth president that is raising eyebrows.

Murathe has already declared that he would be heading to the Supreme Court to seek an interpretation on the deputy president’s eligibility to vie for presidency.

With the die cast and the battle lines drawn, what perhaps many are wondering is why the former Gatanga Member of Parliament is fiercely opposed to Ruto’s political ambitions.

In a TV interview on Sunday evening, Murathe claimed that Ruto’s mode of operation is not good for the country, further alleging that the DP directs his lieutenants to engage in “unorthodox stuff.” He, however, did not elaborate on what that meant.

“We have watched him. We have seen how he runs things. It’s known. Ask anybody even from his Rift Valley backyard… The people whose toes he steps on… The people who are given orders and directives to do some unorthodox stuff that ends up landing them into trouble,” Murathe said on KTN.

Murathe further claimed that DP Ruto has been adversely linked to corruption in the country, hence, would be unfit to be the Head of State.

“These things have been coming out once the fight against corruption was intensified. He is actually in court through his lawyer Ahmednassir defending the issue of Weston hotel. The allegations about his involvement in the maize scandal where farmers in rift valley were shortchanged…. All the time, these things are pointing at this individual as either the godfather or getting involved,” Murathe further stated.

Following his resignation, Murathe announced that together with other “like-minded” leaders, they would be launching a “Stop Ruto” movement ahead of the 2022 elections.

“There are a lot of leaders from across the political divide who share my sentiments within and outside jubilee. Going forward, the Stop Ruto movement which we are going to start, let them assemble their troops and we are going to form ours,” said Murathe.

He added: “Some of us are generally scared. If they can behave like this when they are number two what would happen if they ever became number one.”

He stated that his statements against DP Ruto’s intention to succeed President Kenyatta are his personal views, adding that “I am not taking brief from anybody.”

“We have a problem with an individual… a character who we believe is not suitable for that office,” he said.

Murathe maintained that he remains a Jubilee Party member but hinted that a new political outfit could be formed.

“Currently I am still a member of Jubilee but I am still reconsidering my options. Something new might just come along. I want to be able to be free to choose. I can either choose to remain a member or join another outfit,” he said.