Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has cut ties with President William Ruto, declaring he is now scouting for opposition partners ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mr Linturi, who was fired from the Cabinet after the Gen Z protests in June last year, accused the President of misleading statements to the effect that he was in talks with him.
Nearly three weeks ago, President Ruto announced that he was in talks with Mr Linturi and former CS Peter Munya about joining the broad-based government.
The president made the remarks on April 2 at Maua, Mr Linturi's backyard, following a request by Governor Isaac Mutuma during the Mt Kenya tour.
However, Mr Linturi said he has not had such talks with the president. “This is what jolted me into speaking out and walking away from the government…Nine months after I was hounded out of government, a pregnancy has come to term and a baby must be born. I have been quiet since I was fired but I have to come out and discount lies about me," Mr Linturi said in an interview with Weru TV , a vernacular station based in Meru.
He added, "The last time I spoke to him (president) was in December last year at State House. I don't want his job; I am not interested. I will sort myself out."
Mr Linturi added that when he met the president last December, the head of state told him that "he was a victim of perception".
While declaring that "we have crossed the rubicon", Mr Linturi vowed that no amount of enticement or intimidation would draw him back to President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
"I would rather die on my feet that live on my knees," he said.
Mr Linturi said he is now ready for talks with “like-minded politicians”, including former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, former Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, “to reenact a 2002 moment” in 2027.
During his tenure as Agriculture CS, Mr Linturi said he had a frosty relationship with Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
"My relationship with Kosgey was very bad," he said, as he sought to clear his name over the fake fertiliser scandal.
Recently, Mr Gachagua claimed that the Ministry of Agriculture during Mr Linturi's tenure was being run by the president and the head of public service.
"As far as the fertiliser is concerned, I was not involved. After receiving the fertiliser donations from Russia and Algeria, I handed the consignment to NCPB (National Cereals and Produce Board). However, I later learnt that it had been given out as raw material for reformulation with directions from State House. The same fertiliser was sold to government. Out of abundance of caution, I wrote to NCPB requiring that they ensure all fertiliser meet the standards," he said.
This contradicts the recent statement by Agriculture PS Paul Rono that Kenya received a donation of fertiliser raw materials in the form of powder. PS Rono said the raw materials were given to manufacturers through open tender for granulation and blending.
Mr Linturi claimed that he had contemplated resigning due to undue external influence on his docket.
“At one time, Imenti South MP Shadrack Mwiti requested that we retain Jenaro Gatangugi as a director in the Pyrethrum Company, a state parastatal. I committed to do that on a Wednesday. However, to my shock, on a Friday, a gazette notice was published with my name firing Mr Gatangugi,” he said.
“A similar incident happened with another friend who was removed without my knowledge. I protested to the government printer and considered resigning but the president promised to correct the situation, which was done.”
"If I knew he would change, I could have done things differently. I can’t believe that after all the prayers we made, Ruto changed for the worse," Linturi said.
"The President promised not to humiliate his deputy. He promised not to weaken the opposition or allow 'nusu mkate' government. He has gone against the constitution by taking over the opposition. Those in opposition must now unite and sacrifice to save this country. Enough is enough," he said.
The former CS says he is also in talks with other politicians to form a political party for the region, adding that the UDA party has significantly lost ground in Mt Kenya region.
"We are now looking for appropriate partners. I wish Ruto all the best. There are no hard feelings. We have crossed the Rubicon. Let's face off in 2027 as the people decide," he said.
Mr Linturi, who vied for Meru governor in 2022 and lost, said he has several options in 2027.
