Ichung’wah Reveals Why He Blocked Uhuru’s Phone Number

Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah blocked President Uhuru Kenyatta’s mobile phone number on his device as a result of a dispute over the funding of the Universal Health Care project.

The project was one of former president Kenyatta’s brainchild. Then, Ichung’wah was the Budget and Appropriations Committee chair.

According to the now leader of majority, he and the former head of state rarely had one-on-one interatcions.

“He would occasionally call on budget related matters. In 2019, we had a big problem. In 2018, we had an issue on UHC. They came up with a program to do the level three hospitals that they are doing around Nairobi and other areas and they put a huge budget for UHC that was not funded. People were lying to him in his government so he happened one day to call me at night about 11:30 pm and I could tell the state he was in that time,” the lawmaker told Kenyan Historian.

Read: Talks to be Held at the Bomas of Kenya – Ichung’wah

“He was livid, shouting,  threatening me ‘you undermining my government’, so when he shouted too much I asked him ‘Your Excellency, if I am becoming a problem as your Chairman of Budget, why don’t I resign and you get another chair who will not undermine you if you think I am undermining you? Otherwise, You Excellency, if you allow me one minute I can explain to you.”

The MP claimed that he informed the former president that the program’s funding was not included in the budget because it was transferred to net domestic borrowing and that Ukur Yattani, a former cabinet secretary, had misled him regarding the funding.

Additionally, Ichung’wah said he informed Kenyatta of a House motion to halt further funding for the UHC until the Ministry of Health had submitted findings on the UHC pilot program in the first four counties.

“…People are putting a gun on my head to put resources and I told the president ‘I have no way, you can ask (former) speaker Muturi .I can’t reverse a House resolution as Kimani Ichungwa or even as Chairman Budget.  Even the Speaker can’t, only the House can reverse its own decision or ask your cabinet (secretary) to comply with the house resolution,” added the MP.

Read Also: Ichung’wah Criticizes Uhuru Over Talks With Ruto Remarks

After hearing this, Kenyatta allegedly began yelling at, threatening, and insulting the Kikuyu MP, vowing to finish and smash him. Without giving it any thought, Ichung’wah pleaded with the then president not to threaten him.

“I told him ‘Your Excellency, please don’t threaten me’. I could hear him bang the table and telling me he was not threatening me but telling me. I told him that what he was asking me to do was not possible and I will not do it. He then told me ‘Ichungwa utanijua, utaniona. I will crush you,” he added.