My retweets did not link DP Ruto to Jacob Juma assassination: Mutua

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua now says two social media posts that he retweeted this week alleging that Deputy President William Ruto knows something about Jacob Juma’s May 2016 assassination does not — in any way — link the DP to the late businessman’s killing.

Speaking on K24 Television’s Punchline on Sunday, December 22, Mutua said he retweeted the posts to show the similarity between the claims of his life “being in danger” to the posts that Juma shared on Twitter months before he was assassinated on May 5, 2016.

“I did not retweet those posts to claim the DP had a hand in Juma’s death. Juma had complained about his life [being in danger]. Nobody took him seriously. There were examples of other Kenyans, who complained [about death threats], but no one took them seriously, and then something happened,” said Mutua.

“[By retweeting the said-posts about Juma’s death], I was showing that I was not the first one to complain about his or her life being in danger. I do not want my fate to end the way the others’ did,” he said.

“So, I was not linking DP Ruto to Jacob Juma’s death. I was only using him [Jacob Juma] as an example [to show that someone complained about receiving death threats, no action was taken, and he ended up being killed].

Pressed by the host, Anne Kiguta, to give his opinion whether he thinks DP Ruto was involved — directly or indirectly — in Juma’s death, Mutua said: “I do not know whether he was involved in Juma’s elimination. I am not the police, I am not [mandated to investigate such claims].”

‘Police should question DP Ruto’

On December 16, Mutua filed a report at Kilimani Police Station claiming that DP Ruto threatened him on November 25, when he [Mutua], the DP, among other State officials, had gone to State House-Nairobi to witness President Uhuru Kenyatta receiving the BBI report. Mutua said he read hostility in Ruto’s gaze, firm handshake and statement that he [Ruto] “will deal with him”. The DCI would later say that Mutua never provided witnesses to corroborate his allegations.

But the governor believes police are taking his claims “seriously” and he “hopes they question the Deputy President”.

When Kiguta told Mutua that — based on his allegations — the DP never stated directly that he was after Mutua’s life, the governor responded, saying: “Communication is not about the words only, but also the tone of language, context and body language. I believe anything is possible in this world.”

Cobra Squad

Aden Duale and Kipchumba Murkomen, who Mutua alleged were part of the network plotting to harm him, dismissed the county chief as a king of political showbiz, who is known to be an actor from the days he featured in the popular drama series Cobra Squad.

But, Mutua laughed off the two leaders’ remarks, saying: “I made Ksh25 million from Cobra Squad in the first season, and in the second season, I made Ksh11 million.”

‘Kalonzo should hand over the baton’

In the Punchline interview, Mutua also spoke about Kalonzo Musyoka’s political future as Ukambani’s lead-politician. The governor said it’s about time Musyoka hands over the Ukambani baton to a more-deserving, vibrant and visionary lead “like me”.

“In life, there is a time for everything. It is now time for Kalonzo Musyoka to hand over the baton to subsequent generations. I respect Musyoka, nonetheless. He has been the kingpin of a region where poverty has been worsening, and he did not offer solutions,” said Mutua.

Coalition ahead of 2022

Mutua, who has openly expressed interest in succeeding President Kenyatta, said should political coalitions be the only way to help him realise his dream, then, he does not lock out the possibility of working with parties such as ODM ahead of 2022.

“I am leaving my cards open. I am willing to work with leaders, who understand that Kenya needs a firm-yet-caring leadership,” he said, adding: “I am going to run for President in 2022. It is my time. I have told Raila Odinga that I will run for President. He laughed about it. He advised me to hit the ground running with nationwide campaigns. He promised to support my dream [of becoming a president],” said Mutua.

The host, Kiguta, put the governor to task to explain why he is now warming up to Odinga, who — in 2008 — he accused of overseeing the violence that left hundreds of thousands displaced and hundreds of lives lost.

“Raila explained to me that he was not responsible for the deaths of Kenyans in the 2007/2008 post-election violence. I told the New York Times that Raila’s people orchestrated the chaos, and not Raila himself,” said the governor, who added that he is optimistic that the happenings of 2007/2008 post-election violence won’t reoccur.

BBI politics

On his thoughts about the BBI recommendations, Dr Mutua said: “I support an expanded executive.”

He added: “We have a government that people feel that if you are not the president, you are nothing, and that is why the DP spends many hours each week touring Kenya to popularise his presidential bid. We need to get the powers of the president shared [among a number of leaders]. People are focused on tribes because of the one presidential post that exists. We need a president, a DP, a PM and two deputy PMs. I want the holders of the PM and President’s offices elected, and the holders to come from different tribes,” said Mutua, who observed that “such proposals can only be ratified by a referendum.”