Senator Mithika Linturi spills the beans on vicious war in Jubilee even before 2016 merger

Gloves off as Jubilee Senator allied to Ruto spills the beans

Mumbi Mutuko

January 10, 2019 8:24 AM

A house in trouble

President Uhuru Kenyatta with DP William Ruto and former AG Githu Muigai

Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, a DP William Ruto supporter, has spilt the beans over the vicious war going on in Jubilee Party.

Senator Mithika said that the move by some Jubilee leaders to launch "unrestrained hostilities" against Mr Ruto is not unexpected.

Opposed to TNA, URP merger

“We have been aware of these manoeuvres and only the patience, diligence, political maturity and statesmanship of the DP has brought us this far," Mr Mithika said.

Meru Senator Mithika Linturi Meru Senator Mithika Linturi Pulse Live Kenya

"This is why personally, many of my colleagues and I were opposed to the merger of United Republican Party (URP) and The National Alliance (TNA) in 2016,” he added.

Mr Linturi said there were undisguised abhorrence and friction that the TNA leadership had pursued against URP side since 2013.

According to Linturi, most URP colleagues believed their party was more popular than TNA and had better chances in any contentious process.

However, Ruto insisted on a single outfit, arguing that accosting 2017 as separate parties was disastrous.

Concerns raised about Murathe

Linturi noted that Mt Kenya leaders rarely voiced their views over any issue since they are never sure of their leadership's position.

Meru Senator Mithika Linturi Meru Senator Mithika Linturi Pulse Live Kenya

He further stated that some Jubilee members openly opposed the merger, but there were no options for disentangling themselves from the arrangement imposed by DP Ruto.

Notably, Senator Linturi said he raised concern over former vice chair David Murathe’s sentiments with the President and the DP at a Parliamentary Group meeting at State House.

Mumbi Mutuko