Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu remarks on “going slow on war against graft because of our people in Rift Valley” irked President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Waititu has been in the cross hairs of the president and opposition chief Raila Odinga for making the reckless statement.
The governor, who jokingly publicly announced that he had ditched the Tanga Tanga movement and conveyed the condolence message of Deputy President William Ruto at Kenneth Matiba’s funeral, urged the government to go slow on the war against corruption since “our people” live in the Rift Valley.
“Even as we support the war against the graft, we should remember that our people are in Rift Valley and I request that we approach this war together as a team just the way we joined hands in 2013 with our brothers in Rift Valley,” he said.
Mr Odinga dismissed Mr Waititu for the remarks, telling him that nobody should blackmail or threaten any Kenyan since “when they steal they do so for [themselves not on behalf of a community].”
Although the President did not respond to the governor in the podium, he reprimanded and scolded him after the burial.
Multiple sources, who included several MPs revealed that the President scoled Mr Waititu and told him to his face to stop petty politics.
“We were waiting for the body of the deceased to be mounted in the hearse just outside the tent when the President scolded Mr Waititu and told him off, accusing him of playing dirty petty politics. He was very furious and the governor did not respond,” an MP who sought anonymity said.