The emerging splits in Deputy President William Ruto’s Rift Valley backyard on Wednesday sent a section of Jubilee party elected leaders into a crisis meeting aimed at ironing out differences in the party.
At least 35 leaders from Rift Valley attended the closed-door meeting at Weston Hotel running into midnight over the emerging opposing sides in the region.
Earlier, a number of the legislators expressed their distress in Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen after he opposed President Kenyatta’s lifestyle audit directive.
[caption caption="Jubilee MPs during the Wednesday night meeting "]
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The leaders blamed the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator for having a patronizing attitude and running the show without consultation.
Cheranganyi MP Joshua Kutuny accused Murkomen of often addressing the members of the caucus as if “he is the deputy president”
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Kutuny said the meeting that ended at midnight offered the leaders an opportunity to water down their disappointment which they say was behind DP Ruto’s troubles in Rift Valley.
“There was divergent opinion regarding a few issues, some concerning the conduct of the majority leader on how he was leading the business of the party and how he reacts. We have discussed and agreed on the terms of engagement going forward. I had raised the issue on behalf of the majority,” affirmed Kutuny.
Senator Murkomen in a statement on Wednesday night stated that; “The meeting has therefore achieved its purpose of strengthening our resolve to assist His Excellency the President and His Excellency the Deputy President in rallying all efforts towards building a strong, united and prosperous Kenya through our party's manifesto.”
[caption caption="Senator Murkomen with other Jubilee leaders at Weston Hotel on Wednesday "]
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However, the Senator noted that the leaders cannot be loyal to the Jubilee family, its leadership and founding values while at the same time condoning retrogressive, destructive and divisive agendas.
"Our sole purpose remains that of leading our constituencies along Jubilee's transformational journey to achieve a better Kenya for all people. This journey requires our total loyalty and principled commitment to the founding vision of the Jubilee movement. By necessary implication, this commitment calls for vigilance and total rejection of all elements, ideas and attempts to undermine the vision, or sabotage our leadership, or divide our people," Senator Murkomen's statement reads in part.
