End of the road for Kabogo and Kuria as ground turns hostile

• Apr 12, 2022

End of the road for Kabogo and Kuria as ground turns hostile

By Paul Munene

Two Kiambu politicians – former governor William Kabogo and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria (both pictured) – are staring at the end of their political careers.

This is after the two major coalitions – Azimio la Umoja and Kenya Kwanza - appear to be showing them the middle finger.

During the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) unveiling of Deputy President William Ruto as the presidential candidate, Kabogo and Kuria had an appointment with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi.

When they went to State House, Nairobi, they were directed to wait in a nearby hotel for the President to call them when ready.

They waited until 11am. Then the President called Kabogo and told him to turn on the speaker phone for Kuria to hear their conversation.

The President went straight to the point: Kabogo was asking the head of state to give him Sh500 million to lead the Jubilee campaigns in Mt Kenya region.

The President asked him how many members were in Tubebe Party. Kabogo did not answer. The President told him point blank that the amount he was asking was abnormal, telling him he was free to join Ruto.

The President then turned to Kuria and asked him how many members were in Chama cha Kazi.

He told Kuria the Sh100 million he was demanding to join the Azimio coalition was too much, and again repeated what he had told Kabogo, the Gatundu South MP was also free to join Ruto.

It is after being snubbed at State House that Kabogo and Kuria made their way to Kasarani Stadium where Ruto was holding the NDC. The rest is history.    

For Kuria, he suffered another setback after he was kicked out of Ruto’s Karen residence on Monday evening.

Kuria, who is broke, is now heading back to Gatundu South to try to recapture the seat.

Ratings for Kiambu gubernatorial seat have placed him position seven.

The Gatundu South MP tried negotiating for Senate seat with Ruto but failed when he was told the UDA candidate was Karungu wa Thang’wa.

 Even Ruto doesn't want him. Actually the DP would like to see the end of Kuria as he brings nothing to Kenya Kwanza.

The man who insulted Uhuru Kenyatta using most unprintable words has even tried reaching the president in vain.

Kuria should take heed of the Kikuyu proverb: When a hyena wants to eat its children, it first accuses them of smelling like goats.

For Kabogo, he had a day to forget in his own county after being booed by irate crowd during Ruto’s campaign trail.

Trouble started when he was invited to speak by Ruto, who played the MC role for the better part of the campaign.

After taking over from the DP, the former governor endorsed Ruto for the presidency by saying that he was equal to the task.

It was then that all hell broke loose.

Visibly agitated with the endorsement, Kabogo was booed and heckled by people who appeared to be supporters of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The visibly angry Kabogo responded by hurling insults at his hecklers as he tried to calm down the uncontrollable crowd.

 All this time, the DP, atop his campaign car, remained silent and helpless amid the ensuing orchestra of chaos between the former governor and a section of the crowd.

Accused in the past of being needlessly temperamental and having unnecessarily sharp tongue, Kabogo could have blown up his chances of winning the Kiambu governor seat come the August 9 general election.

The heckling was similar to a reception Kabogo had on May 1, 2015, when he was embarrassed by residents of Thika town after being heckled twice over high levies.

The levies had put Kabogo, who was the governor, on the warpath with 11 Kiambu MPs.

The governor, who was in a convoy that had accompanied Ruto for a function in Joy Town Special School, was unable to address a crowd at U Shop opposite Jamhuri market and also at the junction that leads to Thika Stadium.

The crowd started chanting “Kabogo must go".

They also shouted "Baba yao, baba Yao” in reference to then Kabete MP aspirant Ferdinand Waititu.