DP Ruto says intimidation will not stop his presidential ambition

Deputy President William Ruto has yet again lambasted President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga, accusing them of ganging up to deny him the presidency, despite backing their State House bids in 2007, 2013 and 2017.

Ruto, while referring to a series of meetings held at State House Nairobi and Mombasa, hosted by the president and attended by Odinga, as well as his partners in the defunct National Super Alliance(NASA), said nothing would stop his march to the country’s top job.

“Mimi naelewa…kuna watu wengine hawajawahi kulala njaa, ama kutembea mguu tupu,” DP Ruto begun his onslaught.

The deputy president was for the second day traversing the Western Kenya region, selling his hustler narrative in the run up to the August 2022 presidential race.

The DP Talking about a grand plan by President Uhuru kenyatta and ODM chief Raila Odinga to frustrate his State House bid.

“Sasa ndiyo mjue kuna madharau hii Kenya, si mnajua mimi nilimfanyia Raila campaign 2007 karibu hata nifungwe huko hague? si nilimsaidia? mimi si nimesaidia rafiki yangu Uhuru Kenyatta? Kwani ilikuwa giza mchana ati watu hawakuona? Si nilimsaidia akawa rais? Ati sasa hao watu wote wameungana kusema ati Ruto ni mtu hajulikani, baba yake hajulikani na hivyo hafai kuwa rais, aaah hawa watu waache mchezo,” DP Ruto said, referring to State House meetings hosted by President Kenyatta in Nairobi and Mombasa…

The second-in-command continued: “Tutawaonyesha raundi hii hata mtoto wa single mother, hata awe mtoto wa yeyote anaweza kuwa rais kwa hii kenya….waache kabisa, no, tumekataa kabisa…si hawa watu wanatuletea jam?”

The president, in an interview with Editors last month, dismissed claims of galvanising opposition leaders to deny his deputy an opportunity to succeed him in under 11 months.

“For what reason…you don’t call someone who is opposed to what you are trying to do, for what reason I don’t…those meetings are not about selecting a candidate,” the Head of State said

The Building Bridges Initiative(BBI) driven constitution Amendment Bill 2020 has been declared illegal by the High Court and the Appellate court, and a fresh legal showdown is looming at the Supreme Court.

The president and his handshake partner have been championing the constitutional amendments, ostensibly to address long standing national issues, among them inclusivity in governance and equitable sharing of the national cake, before Kenyans return to the ballot in august next year…

“Sasa mtu akisema ati tubadilishe katiba, tuunde kiti ya Prime Minister na kugawana mamlaka, na huyu otu kijana wa hapa hana kazi na hatujamshughulikia, huo ni uungwana kweli? Tumeunda chama ili tuunde sera, na tumshughulikie huyu mtu wa mashinani kwanz,” the DP said.

The DP also rooted for his hustler narrative, on whose wave he hopes to ride in his presidential pursuit.

“Kama nimesaidia rais kujenga barabara na reli, ile kazi imebaki ya kutafutia hawa mahustler kazi si ni rahisi kama kusukuma wheelbarrow? Haihitaji mafuta ama driving licence,” the DP said “ Na ukiangalia, hiyo kazi ni mimi naiweza ama ni yule mtu wa kitendawili? Badala ya kukutana kunipangia, si wakutane kupanga vile watapunguza bei ya mafuta?”