by NANCY AGUTU
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Former National Assembly majority leader Aden Duale has regretted dissolving URP to merge with TNA.
The two parties merged to form Jubilee ahead of 2013/2017 elections in which their leaders -Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto – won the election.
Duale who was speaking to the Standard on Sunday said Jubilee has not lived towards its ideals.
“We collapsed 14 parties to form Jubilee. We wanted to kill ethnic-based parties. I had misgivings about dissolving URP,” he said.
“Uhuru and Ruto convinced me. The party grew and managed to have elected leaders. But today, it is a shell. I regret the decision to collapse parties.”
Duale said if the president will not salvage Jubilee, the 2002 scenarios in Kanu will play out.
“There will be a mass exodus by leaders who will form a new outfit. I urge the president to rescue it. He can leave a legacy of leading the largest united, cohesive party,” he said.
The Garissa Township MP said that he will back Ruto ahead of 2022.
“Uhuru, Ruto and Raila are the only politicians I have fully understood their political philosophy. I am a political student of the three combined. I am not a Ruto ally by accident,” he told the Standard.
“It is because of political history. I know what Ruto is capable of achieving. He believes in the oneness of Kenya. Just like Uhuru, Ruto has taught us the politics of tolerance. “
“I want to state categorically that my choice for presidential candidate come 2022 is William Ruto.”
Duale said the relationship between Uhuru and Ruto begun getting worse in 2018-2020.
“… and I was caught in between. I learnt how to deal with it. I never contradicted the president, not even his deputy. There is nothing I ever did without first consulting the president,” he said.
Duale was removed from his powerful position in Parliament during the Jubilee PG meeting held on Monday at the KICC.
He was replaced by Kipipiri MP Amos Kimunya.
After his removal, the Garissa Township MP said he was glad that from 2013-2020 he was able to process the agenda of the Majority Party effectively.
In particular, Duale said he oversaw the passage of over 200 Bills and 500 Motions to mention but a few.
Source: The Star
