Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata has disclosed the leaders he suspects leaked his letter to President Uhuru Kenyatta to the public.
In an interview with KTN, February 16, Kang’ata said that the letter could have been leaked by Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio who had a copy of the letter, or Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju.
“I regret the leakage of the letter. It is not me; it was either leaked by Majority leader Poghisio because he had a copy or Raphael Tuju,” said Kang’ata.
Kang’ata added that he did not regret writing the letter despite the backlash he got which eventually led to his ouster as the Majority Whip.
President Uhuru Kenyatta
Facebook “I strongly believe what I wrote. First and foremost, it is an expression of my thoughts and this is a country that believes in democracy. We need to respect thoughts,” he added.
Kang’ata reiterated that he did not abuse anyone in his letter and that his only aim was to highlight the obstacles the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) initiative was facing in the Mt. Kenya region. He added that his letter proposed solutions, which he thought should be implemented for BBI to sail through.
During the interview, Kang’ata defined his relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta as positive and cordial
“I am very happy with President Uhuru Kenyatta,” said Kang’ata.
He mentioned that the President attended his wedding which he termed as an important occasion for him and also appreciated the President’s input in him becoming Jubilee’s Deputy Chief whip and later appointed him the Chief whip.
In his leaked letter, dated December 30, 2020, Kang’ata warned the President that the BBI initiative would fail in the Mt. Kenya region which is the president’s stronghold.
“Based on a survey I conducted during the December 2020 holidays, I have come to the conclusion that BBI is unpopular in Mt Kenya. Out of every 10 persons I surveyed, six opposed it, two support it, and two others are indifferent,” his letter read in part.
Senator Kang’ata has since then denied leaking the letter to the media.
“Kindly though, the letter dated December 30 (2020) is authentic. I didn’t give it to the media. Someone else who had been copied did. I apologise for that.”
“With the benefit of hindsight, I should have copied no one else. I trust substantive issues raised in the letter will be remedied,” he tweeted on Monday, January 4.
Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju during a press briefing on January 9, 2019.
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