Cabinet Secretary without portfolio Raphael Tuju has dismissed claims that he's working for opposition leader Raila Odinga, adding that he has been undertaking duties as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In reference to a trip to Siaya last week, Tuju on Monday said President Kenyatta had called him and facilitated his trip. The President was set to visit Rarieda constituency.
With the president fixed, Tuju said, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang'i had been asked to represent the president but there were last minute changes which saw him brought on board.
“I received a phone call from the President asking me to go and represent him. The only thing I did was to read the speech from the President. Now they want to impeach me because of that?” Tuju asked.
He added: “Initially it was Interior CS Fred Matiang'i who was to go but some changes were made. I was facilitated by State House.”
The former Rarieda MP asked Jubilee party members to follow the party process on the removal of officials instead of tarnishing his name.
On Sunday, Deputy President William Ruto accused Tuju of working for Raila within Jubilee, an indication that Mr Tuju is now a wanted man within Jubilee.
“There is a laid down procedure of how to remove someone from office. Those with issues should at least file them with the party then allow me to defend myself,” Tuju said.
Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara said what Tuju is doing amounts to a conflict of interest and asked him to relinquish his position as SG.
“If he is now comfortable working with Raila after the handshake, then he should just quit rather than advance his political agenda using his position in the party by sharing our strategy to please Raila,” she said.