Wrangles will kill Jubilee, Gatundu South MP Kuria warns
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has warned that the infighting in the ruling Jubilee may destroy the party and cause chaos in the country ahead of 2022.
Speaking on Sunday night during a K24’s interview with Ann Kiguta, Kuria blamed the infighting in President Uhuru Kenyatta-led party in the pursuit of selfish political interests.
“Jubilee has been captured by what I would call centrifugal and centripetal forces of Kieleweke and Tanga Tanga and it (the fallout) is going to be vicious. It’s going to be a night of long knives,” the MP said, adding that he intends to leave the party in 2022.
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Tanga Tanga supports Deputy President William Ruto’s candidature in the 2022 presidential election while Kieleweke is opposed to him succeeding Uhuru.
Kuria said while the Handshake between Uhuru and Opposition leader Raila Odinga is partly to blame for the divisions, he accused some politicians of deliberately fuelling tensions in the party to remain relevant.
“They can only survive and thrive where there are chaos and division. Any attempts to heal the country is a threat to some people’s (political) lives,” he said.
He warned that unless tamed, the divisions were likely to plunge the country into chaos in the 2022 election, as it happened in 2007 and 2017.
“God has saved us twice before. I’m not sure (if) God is going to give us a third chance if we go to 2022 divided as we are,” the MP warned.
The two-term MP, who has declared that he will run for the presidency in the next elections, warned Mt Kenya region leaders against “blindly” following Ruto.
“When I see Mount Kenya MPs competing to a parrot who is more loyal to this faction or that faction or this candidate, I wonder if they ask themselves what our region, which has six million votes, is getting,” he said.
The MPs, he said, lean towards the DP because he “showers them with love” while others believe he can help them push for projects in government by “picking his phone and making calls”.
“It is true the bulk of MPs from Mt Kenya region is supporting the Deputy President…most of them from what I discern, are saying they are going to where they find love. I think he (DP) showers them with love and attention,” he added.
Kuria brushed aside claims by, among others Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, that the President’s home turf was warming up to Raila.
“I am not sure that Mt Kenya people have come to ask themselves whether to consider that (backing Raila) or who they are going to vote for, but (that is) a tough sale,” he said.
Kuria said the region was uncomfortable with the parliamentary system of government which the former Prime Minister has been rooting for “because it will take away the little gains they have made”.
Kuria said the electorate already feels shortchanged because, despite having 13 counties, the region only has 64 constituencies out of 290 and Raila’s push to replace the presidential system with the parliamentary one would only worsen his relationship with the region.
