Ruto donates Raila to Britain as joke causes jitters, allies hit back

Ruto donates Raila to Britain as joke causes jitters, allies hit back

An unintended outcome of the national prayer breakfast was Deputy President William Ruto’s joke that rubbed ODM supporters the wrong way.

Tongue-in cheek, the DP proposed that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga be considered in the search for a new British Premier when Theresa May leaves office on June 7.

However, Odinga’s supporters claim Ruto was disparaging the ODM party boss.

DP Ruto’s joke was in response to another by Lord Micheal Hasting, the day’s keynote speaker.

However, it instead sparked the all too familiar political fury: “I am sure you know the turmoil in our country…do you have a spare prime minister?,” asked Lord Hasting in jest.

Ruto, in what he considered a joke, then offered Former PM Raila Odinga for the job.

“We have a retired PM, and because our constitution scrapped the position, we can send you his CV…,” he responded.

Odinga’s supporters promptly reading malice in DP Ruto’s joke, termed it as another attempt by the deputy president to score political points against the orange party boss.

“ A time of prayers especially when Kenyans are facing such serious issues is not a time for jokes…the deputy president has made a habit of using houses of prayer to pass very snide remarks at our party leader…,” lashed out Edwin Sifuna-ODM Secretary General.

“…With such things, God can’t even hear our prayers…,” said Samuel Atandi-Alego Usonga MP.

That Ruto and Odinga don’t get along politically is an open secret.

Their supporters and allies often picking the cue from their leaders to wrestle on political podiums and the social media, during the national prayer breakfast last year, Odinga and Ruto were in a reconciliatory mood, though short-lived.

“How can you claim to love God if you don’t like your brother?” asked Sifuna.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, keen on his legacy however offered a few more people to Lord Hasting.

“You have been offered just one person. I can offer 3 more so that I have peace in the next three years,” Joked President Kenyatta.

Prayers, jokes gone bad and the usual politics was a summary of Thursday’s prayer breakfast.

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raila ruto Theresa May Hasting prayer breakfast

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