Jubilee Vice Chair, David Murathe, has dismissed reports that Kenya Kwanza's presidential running mate, Rigathi Gachagua, once served as President Uhuru Kenyatta's personal assistant.
Speaking during an interview on NTV on Thursday, July 21, Murathe argued that the only instance Uhuru and Rigathi worked together was during the latter’s stint as a special District Officer (DO).
According to Murathe, Rigathi was just a mere public servant and by coincidence, Uhuru was appointed to the same Ministry he was serving in.
“Rigathi has never been Uhuru’s PA and people should debunk this theory. Rigathi was a special DO in the late President Daniel Moi's regime. When Uhuru was appointed to the Ministry of Local Government, he met Rigathi there. He was a civil servant attached to that Ministry and as such had to work together,” Murathe remarked.
He went on to narrate that Uhuru chose Njee Muturi as his personal assistant upon assuming power in 2013.
Murathe’s remarks were in response to Gachagua's assertion that he served as Uhuru’s running mate. Rigathi is on recording proclaiming that he knows President Uhuru better on the basis that he served as his PA.
“From 2002, I served as the personal assistant to Uhuru Kenyatta,” remarked Rigathi during a rally in June.
In addition, Murathe accused National Assembly Speaker, Justin Bedan Njoka Muturi, of betraying Uhuru after years of trust between the two. Murathe explained how Uhuru helped Muturi rise through the ranks to the third most powerful position in the country.
The Jubilee Party Vice Chair noted that the President hand-picked Muturi after he lost in a parliamentary election and made him the National Assembly Speaker.
“In 2013, JB ran again in Siakago and lost. Uhuru won the Presidency and made him the third most powerful person in the pecking order.”
Murathe and Muturi had worked together at the Uhuru Kenyatta Center between 2008 and 2013. Uhuru had also picked him as the Minority Whip in the 9th Parliament when KANU was the official opposition party.
In 2013, Uhuru endorsed Muturi as his preferred Speaker in the 11th Parliament. Muturi rode on the overwhelming numbers of the Jubilee coalition to win the seat.
He has, however, fallen out with his former ally after switching allegiance to William Ruto. He is currently campaigning for the Kenya Kwanza alliance while Uhuru is leading the Azimio la Umoja campaigns albeit silently.
