DP Ruto allies tear into Atwoli and Murathe over 2022 remarks

Three MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto have dismissed Jubilee vice chairman David Murathe's statement Mt Kenya will not back him in 2022 elections.

Murathe and former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando said there was no pact between Ruto and Uhuru. 

They also accused Cotu boss Francis Atwoli of inviting Murathe and Kabando to the recent Maragoli Cultural Festival purposely to discredit Ruto.

The duo said Central Kenya did not sign an MoU to support Ruto and appeared to drum support for ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi to succeed Uhuru.

But Matungu MP Justus Murunga said Mudavadi was not ripe for presidency.

"We tried him in 2013 and he performed poorly. Mudavadi cannot go it alone. He should embrace Ruto to revive his presidential ambitions,” he said.

His Navakholo counterpart Emmanuel Wangwe said Atwoli can advise leaders, but should stop imposing on the people.

He said he will continue supporting Ruto because he is development oriented.

Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali said he would support anyone who is ready to bring development in the region.

“A Luhya should either be president or deputy president in the next government. We don’t want funny positions such as chief party agent that are nonexistent. We don’t want trial and error. We have had enough lectures from Atwoli and his cronies,” said Shinali.

Former Senator Boni Khalwale dismissed Atwoli terming him selfish and without interests of the people at heart.

“Atwoli is an activist who has never been in elective politics. He cannot purport to speak for Mulembe nation. We didn’t give him that role,” said Khalwale.