Deputy President William Ruto’s fight to maintain control of Jubilee could be jolted by the reorganisation of a crucial party organ and the quiet return of David Murathe.
Murathe, a close political confidant of President Uhuru Kenyatta, resigned as Jubilee Vice Chairman but the Head of State did not accept his resignation letter.
The Star Today has established that Murathe, a known political strategist, is back at Jubilee House with enhanced roles to oversee the re-organisation of some party organs seen as leaning towards Ruto.
The restructuring of the NMC is seen by President Uhuru’s allies as inevitable to wrest the Jubilee party from Ruto’s grip prior to planned internal polls.
A furious Ruto yesterday rubbished claims that President Uhuru had sanctioned the changes to the crucial party organ.
The DP termed the changes “the work of political rejects, conmen and fraudsters” whom he said should be ejected from the rank and file of the Jubilee party.
“The President & party leader of JP (Jubilee Party) did not and cannot be a party to any fraudulent and illegal changes to officials of our party,” Ruto protested on Twitter.
Ruto’s public rant appeared to have been directed at Murathe and Jubilee secretary general Raphael Tuju, President Uhuru’s two key confidants in Jubilee.
The DP has previously accused Tuju of pushing for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s agenda in the ruling party and termed him an “ODM strategist.”