Deputy President William Ruto was back at the Jubilee party headquarters in Pangani accompanied by 38 MPs allied to his Tangatanga faction.
The move sent shock waves to politicians allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Kieleweke faction.This is the third time the DP is making surprise visits to the party headquarters when the president is out of town.
He did it twice last week when President Kenyatta was touring the coastal region and now when the president is out in Paris.
Pundits see Dp's visits as part of his elaborate scheme to recapture Jubilee after resolved to be working from the Pangani-based office at least twice a week to root out brokers and hijackers. The DP has been pushed to the 'periphery' of the party but he seems looking for ways to regain some. No senior party officials received Ruto like Secretary Raphael Tuju did the other week. “We can't leave the party to crooks. I will be coming here at least once or twice a week to plan party matters,” Ruto told the lawmakers who followed him.
Meru senator Mithika Linturi who accompanied the Dp to the Pangani dismissed claims by Kieleweke Mps that they were staging a coup.
"These are the members of the Jubilee Party. We had a meeting to exchange ideas . There was no coup and there is no coup in our party,” he said.
Ruto promised tough times for officials who not happy with his frequent visits.
“Those officials who want to come can come.....kama hawataki waende Orange House kwa candidate wao,” Ruto said.
President's allies have termed the move by the Dp as undermining the president and provoking the president. Ruto went to Jubilee party headquarters to grab the party, it was a raid and a coup,” said Nyeri town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu who is a DP critic.
Kandara MP Alice Wahome dismissed Wambugu as petty, arguing that Ruto was home and will not be intimidated.
Ruto wants regain control of the party he found with President Kenyatta, push for internal elections and plant his allies at the top.