President Uhuru made DP Ruto idle and free to begin his campaigns – Muturi
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has come out to weigh in on the strained relationship between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.
Speaking to a local publication, Muturi also weighed in on the accusations thrown at DP Ruto for conducting early campaigns contrary to the president's liking.
The speaker said Ruto started early campaigns for his presidential bid because he had realised that his boss, Uhuru had shown no interest in helping him clinch the presidential seat come 2022.
He also noted that the move by the president to take Ruto's powers and delegate them to other people made him idle and free hence giving him more time to campaign.
“It was not right for the President to take away Ruto's powers. It made the DP idle and free to begin his campaigns," Muturi said.
The Speaker also noted that the early campaigns conducted by Ruto were healthy. He said that presidential campaigns need a lot of work hence forcing candidates to start their campaigns early.
In that line, Muturi compared Ruto's early campaigns to Uhuru's 2013 presidential campaigns which he claimed started four years before the elections.
“We started planning for a Uhuru Presidency in 2009, four years to the actual polls. I even wondered when some politicians accused Ruto of campaigning early; for one to win the top seat you must plan early enough,” he told the publication.
Muturi further noted that though the President and his deputy are not on good terms, they have remained respectful to one another. He claimed the two have avoided situations that can lead them into a confrontation in the best way possible just to maintain their respect for one another.
