President Ruto takes dig at Uhuru as he lauds Kenya's democracy

President William Ruto on Thursday took a dig at immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta when he addressed a joint sitting of Parliament and the Senate for the first time as head of state.

Speaking before members of the two houses, President Ruto once again referenced the recently held August elections noting the fact that the polls were conducted in a peaceful, competitive and democratic manner was a great win for Kenya's democracy.

"We gather here on the tranquil side of a competitive election where we all came to grips with the turbulent energies of political competition that characterise our uniquely Kenyan brand of democracy," he said.

"It is true this election was an intensely contested one. Nevertheless, that it was peaceful and democratic, again confirms the coming of age of our democracy."

To further push his point across that Kenya's democracy is blossoming in the right direction, President Ruto brazenly mentioned how ex-president Kenyatta chose to back the candidature of opposition leader and Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga over his own despite serving as his deputy for nearly a decade.

"In summary, and this only happens in Kenya, the sitting Deputy President became the candidate of the Opposition and the Leader of Opposition became the candidate of the government, and as things would be, the opposition candidate won the election and became President and the President became the leader of the opposition party. That’s the beauty of our democracy," he said.

According to Ruto, Kenyans likewise admirably came out in large numbers to elect into office their preferred leaders based of what they would bring to the table once they occupy office and not on tribal lines.

This he says was another win for Kenya's democracy.  

"With the support of Kenyans, we have dislodged ethnicity as the central organising principle of our politics, thereby retiring – for good - the ethnic mobilisation and personality cults, together with their culture and practices of exclusion, discrimination, patronage, tribalism and nepotism," he said.

"In the process, we affirmed the sovereignty of the people of Kenya as the ultimate decision makers as envisaged in the constitution."

Ruto consequently underscored that unbiased service delivery will be one of the major focuses of his administration for the next five years. 

"Certainly, service delivery under my administration shall be impartial regardless of political affiliation or voter preference. Kenya is our home, and we remain united as one strong family," he said.