Days after former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s controversial remarks on a section of leaders who betrayed him, Jubilee party vice chairperson David Murathe has broken his silence.
This was after the former president, without mentioning names, accused some politicians of being traitors, leaving many guessing as to who they are.
Speaking on Saturday during a Catholic church event to ordain two new bishops in Nairobi, Uhuru urged the Church to be aware of betrayers. His remarks sparked speculations, with some dragging Raila’s name to Uhuru’s remarks.
However, on Tuesday, Murathe came out to set the records straight. According to Murathe, Uhuru’s pointed jibe, which labeled certain individuals as “traitors,” was aimed at former allies who had abandoned him to align with his political rival, President William Ruto.
Murathe elaborated that Kenyatta’s remarks were directed at politicians who were present at the specific church event who had subsequently defected to work with President Ruto.
These were individuals whom Kenyatta had supported in their political endeavors, only to be betrayed when he needed their support the most.
“The former president was addressing leaders present at the church event who turned their backs on him despite his instrumental role in their political, cabinet, and ambassadorial appointments,” Murathe explained.
He further added that Kenyatta’s discomfort with the situation was palpable, indicating that only Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna seemed to have his approval at the event.
Murathe revealed a conversation he had with Kenyatta, where the former president affirmed his unwavering support for opposition leader Raila Odinga, even advocating for Odinga’s candidacy for the Africa Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.
Contrary to speculations suggesting a rift between Kenyatta and Odinga over the latter’s association with Ruto and the government’s stance on the continental job, Murathe dismissed such claims, saying that the two leaders are in regular communication and are aligned on key issues, including the AUC chairmanship.
During the Episcopal Ordination event in Nairobi, Kenyatta didn’t mince his words as he launched a scathing attack on those he perceived as traitors within the political landscape. Without naming individuals directly, he warned these traitors of their inevitable downfall, drawing parallels with the biblical narrative of Judas Iscariot.
Among the notable attendees at the event were National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Chief Justice Martha Koome, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, and various political figures from Kenya Kwanza and Azimio factions.
Murathe specifically pointed out politicians such as Public Service CS Moses Kuria, CJ Koome, President Ruto’s National Security Advisor Monica Juma, Speaker Wetang’ula, and Governor Sakaja as particularly rattling Kenyatta with their perceived betrayal despite his significant contributions to their careers.
By Newsmedia