Jubilee MPs have issued a direct challenge to lawmakers from the Rift Valley region aligned with Deputy President William Ruto, demanding they either exit the party or cease verbal attacks on President Uhuru Kenyatta. The ultimatum followed recent accusations from Rift Valley leaders that Kenyatta had fallen out with his deputy, prompting a unified response from a coalition of MPs.
Maina Kamanda, a Nominated MP, led the confrontation at a PCEA church service in Kasarani, Nairobi, alongside colleagues including Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny and Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch. Kamanda accused Rift Valley legislators of hypocrisy, stating those who had misappropriated public funds should stop targeting the president. "If you wish to leave the party, do so quietly without insulting the leader," he said, vowing Jubilee would remain united.
Kamanda criticized Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen's claims that anti-graft investigations targeted Rift Valley communities, calling it a distortion of efforts to combat corruption. He highlighted the president's anti-graft campaign, including the 2018 lifestyle audit, and dismissed allegations that it unfairly targeted specific regions. "Why is it always this 'one person' linked to corruption?" he questioned, referring to ongoing scandals involving dam projects and maize procurement.
Cherangany MP Kutuny accused Rift Valley leaders of obstructing anti-graft efforts, while Oluoch warned that those resisting investigations risked imprisonment. "You stole alone and will face consequences alone," he stated. The MPs also rejected claims that the Kenyatta-Odinga political alliance undermined national interests, countering assertions by Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso.
The confrontation underscored deepening factional tensions within Jubilee, as lawmakers from different regions clashed over governance priorities and accountability measures.
