Imenti North MP Rahim Dawood has said that supporters of Deputy President William Ruto also attended the now controversial meetings at Hotel La Mada, insisting that they were meant to discuss development in the Mt Kenya region.
Speaking Saturday in Meru during the burial of Kathiani deputy county commissioner Titus Mburugu, Mr Dawood denied claims that the meetings were meant to plot how to harm DP Ruto.
MT KENYA MPS
“Most of the MPs from 10 counties in Mt Kenya attended meetings in Nyeri, Naivasha and La Mada, and there is no time that we discussed DP Ruto since his followers were also there. It is not a crime for Mt Kenya leaders to meet over development,” said Mr Dawood.
It was the first time that Mr Dawood admitted that he had attended the meetings.
He said those dragging Trade Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya’s name into the issue of an alleged murder plot against the DP are interested in limiting his activities and dim his political star.
COORDINATOR
“Even when he was governor and we were rivals, he never wished me any harm yet he had immense powers. How will he harm the DP? Mr Munya was proposed by President Kenyatta to coordinate the Mt Kenya region,” said Mr Dawood.
The MP also asked the DCI to authenticate the audio tape that Mr Dennis Itumbi claimed contained the alleged ill-intended discussions against Mr Ruto to ensure it is genuine.
MORE POSTS
At the same time, the MP backed a proposal by former head of Public Service Francis Muthaura that the Constitution be amended to allow the winner in the presidential election to automatically form a coalition with the candidate who comes second.
Mr Dawood said there is a need to increase top seats so that the government can be as inclusive as possible, adding that there is a need to improve cohesion through inclusivity.
WAGE BILL
He said adding more seats in government will only increase the wage bill by a slight margin and called for increased war on corruption to improve resources.
Mr Dawood dismissed campaigns by the Punguza Mzigo lobby group, saying reducing the number of MPs and MCAs will only save the country less than Sh10 billion annually while Sh600 billion is lost through corruption.
CORRUPTION
“Punguza Mzigo is a good idea but is not the solution to increasing money. Let us focus on the billions lost through corruption. If you reduce the number of elective posts, you will only save at most, Sh10 billion. We need to look for the Sh600 billion lost through corruption and that is where the war should be concentrated on,” he told mourners.