Kenya’s youngest MP John Paul Mwirigi has shockingly declared he does not owe President Uhuru Kenyatta any loyalty for purchasing him his first car when he was elected in 2017.
Mwirigi, 28, became a national sensation when he won the Igembe South seat as an independent after beating Jubilee Party’s Rufus Miriti to second place after a fierce duel, with the president embracing him for his great triumph.
To reward his efforts after campaigning using a bicycle for months, Uhuru bought the new lawmaker a Toyota Landcruiser Prado and gifted him at Sagana State Lodge.
However, Mwirigi has sided with Deputy President William Ruto in the August 9 poll following their fallout with Uhuru and the president now backs Azimio’s Raila Odinga.
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The MP, who is seeking the Igembe South parliamentary seat on a UDA ticket, now says the gift from the Head of State had no string attached and does not make him loyal to him in the August 9 polls.
This comes after Agriculture CS Peter Munya accused Mwirigi of being ungrateful and showing the president his back after he showed him a kind gesture when he was a newbie.
While meeting farmers at Igembe Tea Factory on Saturday as he campaigned for Raila, Munya bashed Mwirigi also accusing him of being disrespectful inspite of his generosity.
“You don’t insult an elder who addresses you as his son and bought your first car out of love. You should reciprocate by supporting him and telling the people the good things he has done for them,” Munya said as the crowds chanted “Azimio!”
The CS added, “The President wants us to benefit when he retires and does not want us in the opposition. He does not want us to suffer like we did for 24 years.”
In a quick rejoinder after the meeting, defiant Mwirigi told off Munya, bragging that he would still have bought a high-end vehicle himself using Parliament’s Sh7 million car grant.
“The President’s gift was not supposed to influence my decisions as a leader. In any case, the Head of State bought the car after DP Ruto told him the best gift the presidency could give me was make my work easier by way of mobility,” he said.
He instead accused the CS of intimidating him using the president's gift.
“It is unfortunate for the CS to use the gift to try and intimidate me yet Uhuru himself has never indicated he wants it back. I respect the President, I appreciate his gift and I know how to thank him when he retires,” he added.
He later, on Facebook, threatened to return the vehicle gift to the president.
"If at all CS Munya is speaking for the president, (since he as done this repeatedly in different occasions), I may, for the sake of my peace of mind and independence consider returning the gift," he posted.
