A former member of Deputy President William Ruto's defunct United Republican Party (URP) has resurfaced to remind him that he disregarded counsel not to dissolve the party.
The reminders came in the wake of protest from the DP that there were fraudulent attempts to change the membership of its top officials.
Speaking to the Daily Nation on Tuesday, April 14, former URP member Isaac Ruto noted that the DP's woes were upon him as he had been warned and failed to listen.
"My advice is, let the aggrieved party accept the reality that we had warned them was coming, go out and form their own party just like we did,” he stated, alluding to DP Ruto's protestations.
Isaac Ruto asserted that the wrangles in the Jubilee party were anticipated and asserted his belief that dissolving URP was a bad political move.
"The current noise over the fate of Jubilee is not ideological. It is all about: ‘Look, this thing is no longer favouring me’. It has nothing to do with democratic ideals," Isaac Ruto stated.
“What is happening in Jubilee fits what I foresaw. I did not see then and I do not see the need now to fold parties to form a monolith,” he added.
Alfred Keter who had also been quite vocal on the dissolution of URP advised that energy spent fighting the changes should be channelled to the battle against Covid-19.
“These people who are mobilising MPs to write protest letters to the Registrar of Political Parties over what is happening in Jubilee should instead focus their energy, time and resources on fighting the virus," said Keter.
The planned dissolution of URP began in 2015 after President Uhuru Kenyatta shared the idea of folding 12 political parties into one.
Ruto faced stark opposition to folding URP from politician's aligned to him arguing that it was the best way for the Kelnejin community to have a shot at the presidency.
"I have seen people complain and say if we dissolve our parties, we are setting ourselves up for ridicule and being taken for granted in future. But what does that say about you, that you think someone will con you out your party? Isn’t that really stupid?” said DP Ruto in 2016.
After a protracted discussion, the merger finally became reality in September 2016 with the formation of the Jubilee Party.
Amidst the ongoing scandal in the party, Ruto has maintained that President Uhuru Kenyatta could not have been involved in the fraudulent changes.
Watch the video of URP's planned dissolution below:
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