Raila asks DP Ruto to emulate Jaramogi and resign as DP

Raila Odinga, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), now says that Deputy President William Ruto should resign from government if he is unhappy with the way it is being run.

The ODM leader accused DP Ruto of doublespeak as far as running of the government is concerned, insisting that he – Ruto- cannot have his cake and eat it.

Raila compared the souring UhuRuto union to siamese twins saying the two were elected together and it is imposible for DP Ruto to dissociate himself from the government when it is politically convenient.

While speaking to vernacular stations on Friday, Raila said the DP was still claiming to be part of the government but fighting it at every opportunity.

“Chama Cha ODM hatumo ndani ya serikali, Naibu Rais William Ruto badala ya kumsadia Rais Uhuru Kenyatta kutekeleza ahadi walizotoa kwa Wakenya amekua akiilaumu na kuikosoa,” Raila said.

He also accused the DP of speaking from both sides of the mouth, only claiming to be part of government projects but running away from its shortcomings.

“Yale mabaya yote ni ya Raila na Uhuru, but yale mazuri yuko ndani, huyu ni makamu wa rais, ni kama siamese twins sababu walifunga ndoa ya miaka mitano,” Raila said. “Jamaa ako kwa serikali, lakini kila kitu anapinga.”

The ODM leader linked the DP’s plight to that of Kenya’s first vice president, Jaramogi Odinga.

“This is not the first time we have a vice president, my father was not fired by Kenyatta, he realised he was not being assigned duties, so he wrote his resignation to the president,” Raila said.

According to the ODM leader, Kenya’s first deputy president resigned, afraid that history would judge him harshly for earning a salary without clear roles.

“Ukiona mambo si mzuri kwangu, ukuwe principled, useme I’m resigning, sababu future generations might judge you harshly,” the ODM leader

He also went down memory lane, saying that in his hey days, he resigned as the Langata MP in 1994 after a fall-out with the then Saboti MP Michael Kijana Wamalwa over the leadership of Ford Kenya.

According to Raila, his father resigned from the Kenyatta government as he was not willing to continue earning a salary without any clear roles.

Raila who will be making a fifth attempt at the presidency also trained his guns on legislators who were in both Jubilee and the newly formed UDA party, asking them to resign and seek fresh mandate from the electorate.

“Kwa nini wasijiuzulu? si hio ni hypocrisy? wanafaa wajiuzulu halafu waende watafute kura kwa wanannchi, hiyo ndio inaitwa principles,” Raila added.

Meanwhile, on matters BBI, Raila says that any Kenyan is at liberty to move to the Supreme Court over the BBI bill as Kenyans were also involved in the process.

Although the two handshake partners had agreed to put the matter to bed after the Court of Appeal ruling, the ODM leader said that does not stop anyone from moving to court over the matter.

“Mimi na Rais Kenyatta tuliamua hatutaenda Supreme court kupinga uamuzi wa mahakama ya Rufaa, lakini mtu yeyote ana haki kuelekea malalamishi yake katika mahakama ya juu zaidi nchini,” Raila said on Friday.

According to the ODM leader, the BBI stoppage was going to affect several parts of the country where entire constituencies may be scrapped as well as deny certain regions a piece of the National cake.

“Kufutiliwa mbali kwa ripoti ya BBI kunahatarisha baadhi ya maeneo bunge kuondolewa kwa kukosa idadi ya wapiga kura wanaohitajika,” Raila added “Pia kuna baadhi ya maeneo yatakosa pesa kulingana na wingi wa wa wakaazi.”

During the interview, the former Prime Minister likened the push for the amendments to the push for multiparty-ism, saying that despite being opposed initially, Kenya now enjoys the freedoms that were gained from the agitation.

He also addressed the schism between the Executive and the Judiciary, accusing the courts of Judicial activism.