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Former Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rachel Shebesh has read the riot act to President William Ruto for what she termed as targetting his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.

Speaking at the Jubilee party headquarters in Kileleshwa, Nairobi on May 11, 2023, Shebesh dared Ruto to target Uhuru.

“It’s unfortunate that the government that is failing has no other business but to target Uhuru Kenyatta. And so I am saying to my friend, coz that is what he calls himself, my friend you are targetting Uhuru Kenyatta bring it on, bring it on,” Shebesh said.

Shebesh also claimed that attempts by rebel Jubilee members to oust the party leadership, including party leader Uhuru and Secretary General (SG) Jeremiah Kioni, had strengthened the party’s support at the grassroots level.

“And in fact, what you are doing is really helping us. Last time I was here I told you that they (Jubilee rebels) are not accepted on the other side. Now what is happening since they started purporting to put an acting party leader is that within themselves there is a fallout. The truth is that within them there is a fallout why? Because they come from the ground. And these chairmen will tell you, especially those who come from the regions where these MPs are – that the ground and the people who gave them votes are hostile, very hostile,” Shebesh said.

“And I am glad that we have vacant positions, and I am asking the chairs go back to your ground get us the loyalists of Jubilee. Replacing them is easy because without Uhuru Kenyatta they will not be Members of Parliament today,” she added.

Jubilee vice chair David Murathe said Ruto was sponsoring the rebellion in the former ruling party as a way of revenge for being kicked out of the party.

“Don’t come here with 200 policemen, with 20 Land Rovers. Ati wametoka Kilimani na Kileleshwa. Kilimani has one police car, Kileleshwa has one. It was a demonstration of who is working the tail. Na hii vita si ya Kioni na Kanini Kega msidanganywe na mtu, hii kuna mtu ambaye ako na haja sana. Kwa sababu tulifukuza yeye kutoka chana ya Jubilee sasa anataka kutuonyesha kwa sababu yeye sasa ako mamlakani atajilipiza kisasi,” Murathe said.

Murathe called on the government to focus on delivering to Kenyans instead of putting the country in a state of continuous political campaigns.

“Hii ni utoto. We have left them to continue with their lack of even ideas. We gave them a chance they said they had a plan, nyinyi kweli mumeona plan? Na bado things are going to get worse. And they better stop behaving as if we are constantly on a campaign trail. SG has said the way they got into that office, let them show us what they can do for the people of Kenya,” Murathe said.

Murathe further slammed the government for proposing a 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT), up from the current eight per cent, on petroleum products in the Finance Bill 2023.

Ruto’s quest to reinstate the unpopular fuel tax his predecessor Uhuru was forced to shelve made Murathe question the doublespeak by leaders in the ruling administration.

“Tayari tumeambiwa na SG ile VAT waliweka 16, Uhuru was under pressure to put it 16 aliiangusha to 8. Sahi na hao ndo walisema hawataongeza wameipeleka 16,” Murathe said.