Editor's Review

  • In his open letter to President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kang'ata claimed BBI is unpopular in central Kenya. 
  • Leaders from the region believe Kang'ata is about to defect to Ruto's camp. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s allies are now questioning the motive by Muranga’s senator Irungu Kang’ta after he claimed the BBI was unpopular in Mt. Kenya.

In an open letter to President Uhuru, the Senate Minority whip claimed that the BBI is destined to fail in the region if drastic action is not taken. 

However, Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni believes that Kanga’ta’s move is an indication of his imminent defection to Ruto’s camp. 

There are questions as to why Kang'ata, a connected lawmaker in the Jubilee ranks, chose to address the President through an open letter and not through official channels.

“He is looking for a reason to defect to Tangatanga. As the Majority Whip, he has access to the President 24/7, hence has no justification for what he did,” Kioni said.

“Such behaviour is in keeping with a weak person. I am disappointed with such an approach. He is quick to look at why the BBI should fail. We even think it may have been a mistake to pick him Senate whip,” the MP said.

Notably, weeks before the BBI signatures were handed to the IEBC, Kang'ata was reportedly leading the Uhuru faction for a consensus with the Ruto team on BBI proposals.

Jubilee Party secretary-general Raphael Tuju also dismissed Kang'ata’s claims that the BBI is unpopular in the region

 “There would be no political significance [of his survey] if there are questions over methodology, sample size and validity of the study results,” said Tuju. 

Following the development, there is a feeling in the ODM camp that President Kenyatta might not be fully committed to the BBI and that Raila could be abandoned.