Apologise for insulting the President, Ruto told

Leaders and residents of Kiambu county have condemned remarks made by Deputy President William Ruto and his allied “insulting” President Uhuru Kenyatta during the Sunday rally in Thika and asked him to apologise to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Kenyanas in general.

Kiambu Governor James Nyoro said any meeting meant to demean and insult President Uhuru Kenyatta or any other elected leader shall not be allowed to take place within the county.

Reacting to remarks by politicians on Sunday at the Kenya Kwanza Alliance rally in Thika town, Nyoro demanded future meetings be done with decorum and dignity.

“We record our displeasure at the happenings at the Thika meeting and demand those who insulted the president come out publicly and apologise to him and the people of Kenya,” Nyoro said.

He said leaders who insulted Uhuru should make a public apology, adding that leaders should not stoop to levels of insults to get votes.

“We demand an immediate halt to these aggressively misplaced attacks on the President and his family. Let us seek votes in humility and not arrogance and empty swagger,” he said.

Separately, clergymen from Central Kenya asked Ruto to apologise for uttering words disrespectful to the President during the Thika rally.

The call came even as residents of Thika took to the streets to protest against Kenya Kwanza coalition, a political outfit led by Ruto.

Furious residents who marched around the streets of Thika chanting anti-Ruto slogans accused leaders affiliated to Ruto of hurling insults at the President.

Leaders of the group said even though President Uhuru will not be vying for any elective position he had a right to join any alliance and urged politicians to respect his decision.

On their part, the clerics under the umbrella of Covenant Clergy Alliance, said the attack on Uhuru by Ruto and his allies did not augur well for the country’s peace.

Addressing a press conference in Thika led by Bishop Joseph Njoroge, the church leaders said it is wrong for politicians to prick old wounds of the 2007 post-election violence.

“The President is a leader anointed by God. It was immoral and disgraceful for the UDA leaders to speak ill of him right at his doorstep,” they said in a statement read by Njoroge.

In an uncharacteristic show of defiance, a fire-breathing Ruto attacked his boss accusing him of betrayal for supporting Azimio La Umoja flag bearer Raila Odinga.

Ruto who is seeking to succeed Uhuru accused him of hatching political schemes to reduce his chances of ascending to presidency. He further accused Uhuru of going to bed with his hitherto political nemesis and abandoning those who “stood with him at his hour of need”. 

“Mr President, the same people you are now calling thieves and other names are the ones who stood with you morally and through prayers when you were facing a very difficult time. We are the same who campaigned for you in 2013 and 2017.”

Ruto claimed the President had been hoodwinked by Raila and fallen into politics of deceit and brinkmanship. However, the clergymen told Ruto to withdraw and apologize over the remarks which they termed as demeaning to the President and unwarranted.

The locals took issue with the leaders for uttering unprintable words directed at President Kenyatta after he joined Azimio political vehicle led by him and ODM leader Raila Odinga.

They said Uhuru, the kingpin of Mt Kenya region deserves to be respected upholding that even in the wake of unusual political waves, the region will largely follow his political direction to guard its interests.

“Our spokesperson from this region has a right to join any political vehicle as that is his democratic right. It is very wrong for leaders to stand in public and abuse a president elected by all Kenyans, which is quite regrettable,” said Mary Nyambura.

Reporting by Clement Kamau, Oliver Musembi and Mathew Ndung’u