There was a showdown by MPs in Gatundu North during a burial attended by DP William Ruto in which there was a clear breach of protocol.
Earlier, during the burial service for Thika Town legislator Patrick Wainaina’s mother Mary Wambui, politicians including Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria disregarded the family’s request not to turn the somber event into a political forum.
Part of the crowd walked out soon after DP addressed mourners and invited Agriculture CS Peter Munya to read President Uhuru Kenyatta’s message of condolences.
Munya and Kieni MP Kanini Kega criticized politicians supporting the DP accusing them of organizing goons to embarrass the President in his backyard.
Wainaina had earlier requested politicians to respect the family’s wish and not to talk politics as an honour to their mother.
Gatundu North MP Wanjiku Wa Kibe who was the host concurred with Wainaina and asked her colleagues to honour the plea.
However, when Kuria was called to speak on behalf of other MPs from the area, he took a swipe at the organizers of the event and said according to protocol the DP should read the President’s message instead of CS Munya.
The outspoken politician took issue with leaders allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odiga for dragging developments right after they were expelled from the offices they held earlier.
In his address, Kuria insisted that it was within his right of telling the truth to remind residents that a promise made should be fulfilled.
After his address, the MP welcomed his Mathira constituency counterpart Rigathi Gachagua who furthered the 2022 succession politics.
Rigathi rallied residents to support Ruto’s bid come next year stating that he (Ruto) supported the Head of State when he needed him most both in 2013 and 2017 during heated electioneering periods.
He further dared the proponents of Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) to implement proposals to send 35 percent of national government’s allocation to the counties now saying that the move was embeddable in the current constitution formation.
As politicians allied to the DP exhibited a show of might during the burial ceremony, those allied to President Uhuru led by the host Wanjiku Kibe condoled with the family and advocated for peace.
Kega who admonished politicians for defying the family’s request not to talk politics and urged them to accord President Uhuru the respect he deserves.
On his part, Ruto told Mount Kenya leaders to avoid reducing his boss to a local leader and instead respect him as the President of the entire country.
He maintained that leaders should avoid backsliding the country into ethnic groupings and instead join hands to build the nation in a united and tribeless manner.
When he took to the podium, mourners started walking out of the scene triggering fury from Munya who told the mourners to respect each other.
He maintained that he was sent by the President and that he (the President) has all the rights to choose who to send.