Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdulahi has made a cryptic post about the possible persons whom the former president Uhuru Kenyatta had labeled as traitors recently.
Ruling out politicians, the lawyer cleverly posted a photo of Chief Justice Martha Koome as a coded message for ‘notorious four’ to mean members of the Supreme Court.
“Last week, when President Uhuru called out “Traitors who will not benefit from their trade,” many Kenyans wrongly thought he was referring to politicians. That is why Hon. Murathe quickly issued a clarification. Those who know what happened in September 2022 will tell you that Uhuru’s ire was probably directed at 4 notorious members of one arm of government.” His caption read.
The Four Supreme Court Judges
Ahmednasir has been at war with Kenya’s apex court for corruption claims that led to him being banned from appearing before its judges. This was after a sustained campaign over years by the lawyer who painted the court as graft ridden.
In the suit before the East African Court of Justice, the lawyer has sued Kenyan government seeking to quash a Supreme Court ban against him, and demanding damages of Sh200 million for alleged violation of his right to fair administrative action, Ahmednasir claim four Supreme Court judges were paid to represent vertigo the presidency of Ruto.
How Supreme Court judges were bribed
Perhaps the most interesting part of the petition is the lawyer without mentioning the names, gives a blow by blow encounter on how judges were supposedly bribe to influence the 2022 presidential petition judgement.
Under particulars of incompetence corruption and incompetence by Supreme Court judges, Mr Abdulahi claims that four out of the seven judges were paid between $1.5-2 million (Sh200-266 million) each to overturn the election of William Ruto that had been challenged by Raila Odinga but were however unable to deliver, “4 out of the 7 members of the full bench of the Supreme Court that heard the presidential poll petition by Raila Odinga challenging the results of the August 9, 2022 presidential elections which pitted William Ruto against members of Kenya’s two elite and most powerful political families, accepted bribes of between US$ 1.5 to 2 million each but were unable to influence the outcome of the verdict rendered on 5th September 2022 by which the Supreme Court unanimously upheld William Ruto’s win.” he says in the court document seen by Kenya Insights.
He goes further to explain how each of the judges were bribed and how the cash was delivered, “Judge A accepted a bribe that was delivered at Judge A’s home in Nairobi by a very powerful politician; Judge B accepted bribes from 3 individuals, the son of a deceased leader, a retired governor and an influential businesswoman; Judge C took a bribe from a member of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) who subsequently left employment of the said service; Judge D accepted a bribe from a member of Parliament. Initially Judge D wanted the bribe to be given to his wife but later changed his mind.” Ahmednasir claimed in the suit.
Uhuru’s claim of traitors
While speaking during the Episcopal Ordination of the auxiliary Bishops-elect Simon Peter Kamomoe and Wallace Ng’ang’a Gachihi at St Mary’s Msongari Grounds in Nairobi on Saturday, Mr Kenyatta launched a scathing attack on unnamed individuals, calling them traitors.
The former head of State, not mincing his words, took on some political leaders whom he termed traitors, lamenting how the political field in Kenya is full of betrayal.
The fourth president lashed out at the unnamed individuals, warning they would not go far with their betrayal.
“The nuncio has talked about betrayers in the church but I want to say that I don’t see a lot of betrayals in the church. Betrayal is on the other side (as he pointed to the side occupied by political leaders),” said Mr Kenyatta.
“To the traitors, I want to tell them that even Judas (Iscariot) betrayed Jesus but he later left the pieces of silver and hanged himself. Everything will all come to an end,” he added.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Chief Justice Martha Koome, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Cabinet Secretaries Moses Kuria and Susan Nakhumicha, former CS Monica Juma and a host of Kenya Kwanza and Azimio politicians, including Sifuna, Beatrice Elachi, and Tim Wanyonyi attended the event.
David Murathe rebuttal
In a quick rejoinder on Tuesday, Jubilee Party vice chairperson David Murathe clarified that former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s traitor jibe targeted his ex-allies who abandoned him to work with his political friend-turned-rival, President William Ruto.
Murathe said Mr Kenyatta was targeting people he helped build their political careers only for them to betray him in his hour of need.
Mr Murathe singled out Public Service CS Kuria, CJ Koome, President Ruto’s National Security Advisor Ms Juma, Speaker Wetang’ula and Governor Sakaja as having rattled Mr Kenyatta, who was in pain over their betrayal despite his immense support in building their careers.
“Each of these people have a story to tell on how they made it and the support they received. He (Uhuru) went out of his way to build their careers, yet they turned their backs at the slightest opportunity. These are the political traitors he was talking about,” said Mr Murathe.
On Sakaja, he said it was Kenyatta, who appointed him as the chairman of the defunct The National Alliance (TNA), giving him a platform to launch his political career where he would make his debut in the political scene as nominated MP.
Similarly, he argued that Mr Kuria benefited from Mr Kenyatta’s support to become Gatundu South MP in the 11th Parliament.
Mr Kuria’s political journey started when he joined former President Mwai Kibaki’s team through Mr Kenyatta’s Kanu Party.
Mr Kuria was elected unopposed as the new lawmaker in 2014 on the TNA party following the death of the then Gatundu South MP Jossy Ngugi.
Mr Murathe said the ex-president was taken aback by how fast former CS Juma shifted allegiance by joining the Ruto camp, “betraying his trust in the process.”
Without going into details, he said the others have also not been any better, adding that they know what Mr Kenyatta did to each of them but still decided to go against him.
