Monday, August 16, 2021 – Former Agriculture CS and Leader of The Service Party (TSP), Mwangi Kiunjuri, has revealed intimate details of his strained relationship with Deputy President William Ruto as well as why he turned down an assured running mate slot.
Speaking yesterday, Kiunjuri stated that he refused to be bought by Ruto to fold his party.
According to him, his decision to insist on his own political party was inconvenient but strategic as it would guarantee the Mt Kenya region was respected in the event Ruto was elected president.
He noted that there were many of his colleagues in the Mt Kenya region who were following UDA blindly because of being given handouts and perks such as campaign choppers and a running mate position.
Kiunjuri noted that if he had sought the running-mate slot, he would have dissolved TSP and joined the Ruto-affiliated outfit, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
“If I decided to join UDA today, I have a guaranteed number nine jersey for the striker position or the number five as a defender. I would not lack a position in the party.”
“In Ruto’s government, the lowest slot I’d get is a ministry position.”
“So, our people in Mt Kenya must ask themselves whether Kiunjuri, who has been in politics for over 25 years, would be foolish enough to turn down a deputy president position and instead toil organizing the region into a political party – spending a lot of his time and money when he can easily get money and even choppers from Ruto?” he pondered.
Kiunjuri added that the Mt Kenya region should be suspicious of Ruto’s talk that he would not form alliances but would focus on making UDA a national party.
“A national party needs at least four elections to rise to that level.”
“Look at our history with NARC, PNU, and Jubilee.”
“Anyone who says he does not need to work with regions should be viewed suspiciously because even in churches, the moderator works with church elders,” he remarked.
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