DP Ruto takes on President Uhuru over Nasa support
In what appears to be a direct confrontation, rattled Deputy President William Ruto yesterday turned the heat on President Uhuru Kenyatta over his comments that he (Uhuru) was ready to support a presidential candidate from the opposition National Super Alliance (Nasa).
Responding to the reports, the DP took to Twitter and unleashed pointed criticism at the President, accusing him of abandoning his flock in favour of the opposition.
Uhuru’s indication that he was ready to support opposition chief Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Party), Musalia Mudavadi (Amani National Congress) and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula in next year’s State House race was the latest and probably clearest indication that Ruto was no longer in his succession plans.
It also feeds into Uhuru’s January comments in Vihiga county that the presidency should not be a preserve of certain communities, hence the need to address political dominance by two tribes.
Yesterday, in a Twitter rant, Ruto appeared to address his boss directly, telling him that he had abandoned the eight million Kenyans, who voted for him in 2017.
“EUCHO!!NGAI FAFA MWATHANI!! So, what happens to the Thurakus, the kumìrà kùmèrà contingent, the 8 million of us?? None, no youth, no woman, no man of the 8M who woke up early and voted 3 times for UK/WSR ticket merit support? Sawa tu! Tutajipanga na support ya MUNGU,” Ruto wrote in his Twitter page.
And in yet another tweet, the DP continued with his jibes, saying: “So, was the destruction/dismembering of Jubilee, a national party, meant to pave way for support of regional/tribal parties in Nasa? Now, with the collapse of Jubilee, isn’t it fair for those who can’t fit in ethnic parties to build UDA as an alternative national party? Ama?” Uhuru is said to have told a delegation of leaders from Ukambani at State House on Monday that he would back one of the Nasa principals should they put their house in order.
It was the first time the President was openly signalling that he would not be backing Ruto, who has been his deputy since 2013, in next year’s presidential election.
Ruto has openly celebrated the High Court decision overturning the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which is Uhuru and Raila’s pet project.
BBI is meant to enhance inclusivity in government by, among other things, expanding the Executive.
Confront his ghosts
The DP has also expressed displeasure over the purge of some of his key allies from leadership positions in the National Assembly and the Senate.
He has frequently taunted the Nasa principals and challenged them to a duel in the polls next year.
Reacting to Ruto’s tweets, ODM chairman John Mbadi charged that the DP has been his own enemy since the 2017 election.
He said the DP has been blackmailing the President yet he has been in Uhuru’s government since 2013, amassed wealth and made a fortune by virtue of being in the Jubilee administration.
“Jubilee cannot be more national than Nasa. Ruto should stop ranting and concentrate on finding out what brought bad blood between him and the President. It is not Nasa.
He has been undermining the President and answering him directly. He should confront his ghosts,” charged Mbadi.
He asked Ruto to stop being a “cry baby”, arguing that there were other candidates who had helped others ascend to power but do not constantly remind those they helped.
“It is on record that Raila campaigned for President (Mwai) Kibaki but what did he reap from it? In 2013 Raila campaigned for himself without the support of Kibaki,” said Mbadi
Makueni MP Dan Maanzo (Wiper) said that leaders from the Kalenjin community have been in power for decades and it was high time they allowed other communities to take power.
“Ruto should not rant over the President’s statement. It is good Uhuru has realised that his community has been in power for 34 years.
Kalenjins who have also held power for 24 years should agree to pave way for others to lead,” said Maanzo, a strong Kalonzo ally who was among Kamba leaders who attended the State House meeting.
Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malalah said Ruto cannot decide who will be his opponent in 2022.
“Ruto has already declared that he will be in the ballot so if Uhuru decides to support another candidate that should not be his concern,” said Malala, a key ally of ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi.
He, however, maintained that his party was clear that Mudavadi would be the coalition candidate going by a pact they signed in 2017.
Unity of the country
But Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, one of Ruto’s strongest allies, said the DP’s statement was from a man who felt rejected by a former comrade.
“The DP is like a spouse, who has lived with his partner for 10 years, only to realise that the relationship was a scam. I don’t think the President has an interest in the unity of the country as he claims,” he said.
Another Ruto ally, Kimani Ichungw’a (Kikuyu), accused some politicians of waiting to be endorsed for top leadership positions.
“For us in the Hustler Nation, we know it is all from God and the people. While some look up to a man, we look up to God.
When they believe leadership will be handed down from those in high office, we believe the high office is that which is God ordained and it is built from the people, bottom up,” Ichung’wa said.
Ichung’wa said Ruto supporters will, however, respect other people’s positions and decisions to support Nasa candidates.
“That is their choice but the people also have their choice. The people should equally be respected and their choices respected just as we respect those who want to support Nasa.
We and the people must not be forced to support someone’s choice. That’s his, we have our choice and our candidate,” said Ichung’wa.
The debate started during the late MP Kalembe Ndile’s burial last weekend when Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu asked Raila and Kalonzo Musyoka to work together before the 2022 elections, failing which Ruto would beat them hands down.
“How will the Kamba community benefit if they choose to vote for Kalonzo and lose the presidency?” she posed.
But responding to Ngilu’s statement, Ruto hit at the Nasa team, saying that all leaders should seek votes based on their development record and agenda for the people they seek to support.
Ruto has declared that Uhuru does not owe him any political favour.
“As President Kenyatta has correctly put it, he has no debt to nobody. He does not have my debt. Uhuru Kenyatta owes me nothing. He owes no community nothing,” Ruto stated in a tweet.
He continued: “There is only one debt that I share with Uhuru Kenyatta, that is the debt of uniting this country and undertaking the transformation that will see the lives of Kenyans changed and the welfare of our nation moved to the next level.”
