‘I can’t and won’t recognize Ruto as president’ – Makau Mutua
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya spokesperson professor Makau Mutua has affirmed that he does not recognize President William Ruto as the country's president.
In a shared Twitter post, Mutua insisted that he never saw himself acknowledging Ruto as the Head of State.
"As a matter of my freedom of conscience and thought, I can't accept, or recognize, William Samoei Ruto as President of Kenya. I can't and won't," Makau wrote.
As a matter of my freedom of conscience and thought, I can't accept, or recognize, William Samoei Ruto as President of Kenya. I can't and won't.— Prof Makau Mutua (@makaumutua) January 23, 2023
Mutua's remarks came barely hours after the coalition's supremo Raila Odinga vowed not to recognise Ruto citing that he was in office illegally.
He also demanded that the Kenya Kwanza government resigns, arguing that it had neither the mandate of the people nor the ability to govern.
Additionally, the opposition leader and other leaders allied to the Azimio faction asked Kenyans to reject the Ruto-led administration.
While describing the policies as “unfortunate and unfair”, Raila said they must be resisted and urged his supporters to start the resistance at once.
He also noted that he did not agree with the electoral commission — which declared Ruto the winner of the August election — and the Supreme Court, which upheld the election. Raila said the two institutions had been hijacked by cartels.
His sentiments have raised political stakes, setting the stage for what could turn out to be a protracted game of wits between the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance — of which UDA is a member — and the Opposition.
Raila spoke just hours after he returned to the country after a short tour of South Africa. From the airport, he went straight to the historic Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi, where he made an eight-point demand, including for the five-month-old administration to resign.
“We as Azimio reject the 2022 election results,” he said. “We cannot and will not recognise the Kenya Kwanza regime and we consider the Kenya Kwanza government illegitimate. We don’t recognise Mr William Ruto as President of Kenya and we equally don’t recognise any officials in the office with him.”
