CAPTION: Jubilee Party Vice Chairman David Murathe For the better part of the week, word has been going around of a supposed major battle within the ruling Jubilee party that has left some nursing some heavy casualties.
On one side is Uhuru Kenyatta's long time confidant David Murathe alongside sharp strategist Raphael Tuju pitting against the Harambee House duo of CS Fred Matiang'i and PS Karanja Kibicho.
The tag of war has escalated so high that the officials from Harambee House are said to have engineered the withdrawal of security and driver assigned to David Murathe as a way of "punishing" him over their differences in opinion during the recently concluded by-elections.
According to a source from DP Ruto's camp as per Dennis Itumbi, Murathe and his squad want the security department led by Matiang'i and Kibicho to reduce their interference during campaigns.
They feel that excessive use of police force might have played a role in their recent flooring in polls.
They also want less participation by sitting governors during campaigns, arguing that folks like Kimemia and Nyoro brought their baggage into the latest campaigns, which made it "harder to convince people". On the same day reports of the split within the ruling party, a local daily indirectly hinted that Murathe was recently blocked from accessing the State House where he had gone to seek an audience with President Uhuru and explain himself over the recent by-election losses.
Such events have led to the further spread of rumours that Uhuru might be planning to discard his long-time friend and political ally with the unnecessary drama and attention he attracts on himself and the party unofficially reported as one of the reasons why the head of state has grown tired of his presence. Over the last few weeks, Murathe's name has dominated the headlines after the Jubilee Vice-Chairman was accused of influencing an Sh4 billion KEMSA tender to a medical supplies firm.
The National Assembly Public Investments Committee (PIC) investigating the Sh7.8 billion scandal, questioned Murathe’s association with Kilig Limited.
This was something his boss did not appreciate.