Former Gatanga MP David Murathe has responded to Deputy President William Ruto's recent remarks that political conmen are pushing for President Uhuru Kenyatta's stay in power.
Murathe is among the notable figures who have been arguing that the president might remain in power for longer, remarks that have not been received well by Ruto and his team.
In an interview with the Standard on Wednesday, Murathe said that those opposed to Uhuru remaining in power should begin by fighting the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which is what might create him a new seat if implemented.
He stated that the group has every right to take sides for or against the push, after which Kenyans will have the final say through a referendum.
“There will be those who will support the proposals and those against. The people will decide in a referendum. They can campaign against the BBI proposals. If they win, they will have their way. That’s what democracy is all about,” he said.
The former Vice Chair of the ruling Jubilee Party questioned the discomfort in Ruto's camp with regards to Uhuru serving in another capacity after 2022, terming it discriminatory.
He based his argument on the fact that the DP wants to be president after Uhuru, wondering why he is not comfortable with another person switching leadership positions.
"If the deputy president, who has served two terms in the presidency, is eligible to run for president, why can’t the president run for prime minister in the new political dispensation? Why would the law discriminate against one and not the other?” he posed.
Speaking at the burial of Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua's mother Martha Gachagua in Mathira on Tuesday, Ruto poked holes into calls for Uhuru to remain in power.
He said that though the president is under pressure from political conmen, he remains a man who believes in democracy and will abide by the law after the lapse of his second term.