By Judith Gicobi
Deputy President William Ruto yesterday angrily accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of betrayal for backing Azimio la Umoja flagbearer Raila Odinga in the 2022 succession war.
Ruto, who is running for President Kenyatta’s job, chastised the Head of State for allegedly orchestrating a political plot to sabotage his prospects of becoming President.
Ruto accused Uhuru of going to bed with his political rival and forsaking those who stood by him in his hour of need during a bare-knuckled barrage unleashed at the President’s Kiambu home county when he addressed a gathering at the Thika Stadium.
“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 people who campaigned for you in 2013 and 2017,” he said.
Ruto, the leader of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the flag-bearer of the Kenya Kwanza coalition, stated that the President had been duped by Raila and had fallen prey to trickery and brinkmanship.
“When you were looking for somebody to walk with during the 2013 elections while going through tough times over the ICC case, I was there but for four-and-a-half years you have made us suffer. You called us names but we are the ones who were with you in prayer,” he said in reference to President Kenyatta.
He went on: “The same church leaders you are calling names prayed for you. The leaders you call thieves are the same who helped you to win two elections and instead you have decided to back Project Raila through the Azimio coalition.”
“When Uhuru was facing ICC charges it’s only I who stood with him, Raila was not there for him,” he stated and slammed the ODM leader, saying him of being egotistical,
“The President decided to support Project Raila but this project will fail miserably since the old man has no plan for the people of Kenya,” he fumed.
President Kenyatta claimed the DP had misled to Kenyans about what the government had done while distributing out fruits of corruption during Saturday’s Azimio meeting, in which Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka reaffirmed his support for Raila as the presidential candidate.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), according to Ruto, has been weaponized by the Kenyatta government to frighten citizens who do not toe the President’s line and suspected political dissidents.
“Mr President, you have caused us untold suffering but we have forgiven you because we are people of faith. We do not believe in revenge for revenge belongs to God,” remarked Ruto, who was joined by Kenya Kwanza co-principals and party leaders Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford-Kenya).
“You have humiliated us and harassed us for four-and-a-half years by ejecting us from parliamentary leadership. We walked with you in the entire country seeking to have you elected, including in Hague. Even the clergy who prayed for you, you now call them names, but we have forgiven you for all the persecutions but left you to God,’ said the DP.
He added; “While you concentrated on the Odinga project to protect the interests of a few, the prices of basic commodities went up, BBI collapsed, KRA and DCI were weaponized against hardworking Kenyans and leaders.”
Mudavadi stated that Kenya requires a strong and determined leader who would guide the country toward its development objectives rather than a puppet leader.
He stated: “It is now clear to all that Mr Odinga, Azimio La Umoja and its leader are projects.”
Wetang’ula urged President Kenyatta to follow in the footsteps of previous President Mwai Kibaki, who stepped down without compromising with his successor’s accession. Senator Bungoma urged Kenyans to reject Odinga, describing him as a political project with nothing to contribute to the country.
Senator Kindiki Kithure of Tharaka Nithi and Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua of Mathira stated it was unfortunate that President Kenyatta had chosen to join the opposition, claiming that the people of Mt Kenya would not accompany him there.
