Former Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has severed ties with President William Ruto setting the pace for major opposition against the government in Meru
now claims that he does not talk to President Ruto.
A fortnight ago during his visit to Meru, the President said he will appoint Mithika and former CS Peter Munya.
This is after Meru governor Mutuma M’Ethingia appealed to the President to give Munya and Mithika state appointments.
President Ruto said he is in talks with Mithika and will soon reward him with a state job.
“We have not spoken since the last time we spoke was when we visited State House together with Meru bishops. Why should the President lie that we talk? I also don’t want his job,” Linturi said.
He added that he does not want a state appointment and will look for his own job hinting he might vie for a political seat in 2027.
He was second in the Meru gubernatorial seat after he lost to former governor Kawira Mwangaza in 2022.
Linturi, who is known to shoot from the hip, said Kenyans are tired of lies.
He said the projects President Ruto was launching in Meru are not his while others have not even commenced.
“I respect Meru and am not going to be silent permanently anymore. We have like minded people who are saying things are not going on well. The like minded people are Meru residents on ground who are saying there is no market in Kianjai.
The people who use St Ann-Miomponi road are being lied to that the contractor is on the road while nothing meaningful has happened,” Mithika said.
He added: “the Maua sewerage system that was commissioned by President Ruto was initiated by former Kitui governor Charity Ngilu when she was minister for water.
“I was the member of parliament when Ngilu commissioned the project after I asked from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga when we were in New York with him ,” Linturi said.
The former Meru Senator said he tried to mend his relationship with president Ruto but it became irreconcilable.
“I have known President Ruto for about 20 years. We have been friends after we met during President Moi’s regime,” he said.
Broad-based government
The forner CS said President Ruto has done a mockery to the Kenyan constitution by agreeing to the broad base government because there is no vibrant opposition to check the government noting that parliament has gone to bed with the executive thus making Kenyans suffer.
“Bringing the country together doesn’t mean you bring the opposition to government. Who will defend the people? The opposition mandate is to check the government,” he said.
Linturi added that SHA is not working while Kenyans do not want the housing tax.
“Parliament has gone to bed with the executive. For instance, how did the legislators allow the housing levy yet those who are taxed are not going to own the houses,” he added.
He spoke in Meru on the vernacular TV station Weru TV.
Cabinet fights
Asked why he is coming out to reveal such things when it’s too late, Linturi said they were not agreeing on all things in the cabinet.
“Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua did not agree with the housing levy as he said there was no need of taxing people who are already paying mortgage,” he said.
He defended Gachagua saying that he was defending the people and was always truthful and factual.
Linturi said he has been silent for nine months but now he was irked by lies and will now come out guns blazing.
He said it is not automatic that Meru will vote for President Ruto in 2027.
“I think we made a terrible mistake and we need to apologise to the people of Meru for supporting President Ruto blindly without any official agreement,” he said.
