Uhuru to Ruto: You should have quit and let me get a DP who actually works

President Uhuru Kenyatta has launched a scathing attack on his deputy William Ruto over what he described as failure to assist in solving the country’s problems, but instead using them to criticise his presidency.

In not-so-subtle references to DP Ruto’s recent comments on the ongoing fuel shortage, the Head of State said the crisis is as a result of the Ukraine-Russia tensions which are beyond his control.

Dr. Ruto had said the current high cost of living, further compounded by the fuel crisis, is a result of collusion between cartels and “incompetent public officials”.

 “The current state of affairs is a clear manifestation of the vestiges of conflict of interest and state capture that is now pervasive in all sectors of our economy. Kenyans want an end to this issue of conflict of interest and state capture,” said Ruto, accusing the government of being insensitive to the plight of millions of Kenyans.

President Kenyatta has now lashed out at the second-in-power, saying he should bring solutions to the table instead of using problems as a campaign platform to blame and “insult” his senior.

“Mambo yamekuwa magumu sio tu kwa nchi yetu…Mamilioni ya watu dunia mzima walipoteza maisha yao na mamilioni wengine zaidi kupoteza kazi zao. Hiyo haikuwa kwa sababu ya Uhuru ama mtu mwengine," said Mr. Kenyatta on Sunday.

“Wakati tumejaribu kuona tutafanya aje tujiokoe na tumeanza kuona barabara sasa, wengine walianza vita ambavyo hatuelewi na imesababisha bei ya mafuta kupanda na kutuletea shida zingine,” he added while referring to the tension between Russia and Ukraine.

The president who was speaking during the Labour Day celebrations at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi further noted: “Badala ya viongozi kuketi waseme watasuluhisha vipi, wengine wanaenda huko kuincite wananchi ati waulize Uhuru. Yaani, mimi niko Ukraine jameni? Mimi nilitoa COVID huko nikaleta? Badala ya kuja kunisaidia na mawaidha tuokoe watu wetu, wewe uko kwa soko na matusi?”

According to Mr. Kenyatta, the DP would have instead relinquished his role and given him the freedom to choose another deputy who would assist him in charting the way forward for the country.

“Na unajiita kiongozi na pia ati wewe ni namba ngapi katika nchi?... Basi si ungewacha mimi nitafute mtu ambaye angenisaidia? Wewe unajua hii sio shida ya mtu, uko wapi wakati mimi nakuhitaji?”

In an apparent reference to Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga, Mr. Kenyatta said the former opposition chief had made substantial efforts in redeeming the country as his close associate, more than Dr. Ruto as deputy president.

“Ndio maana nashukuru huyo mzee, ako at least hata kama alikuwa na mambo yake, alikuja kunisaidia, na alijua hii sio shida ya mtu ni shida ya nchi na ulimwengu,” said the President.

He added: “Matusi na empty promises take you nowhere, but hard work and the labor of your hands.”

At recent events around the final journey of the late president Mwai Kibaki last week, Kenyatta and Ruto shook hands with others but themselves, instead bowing with hands clasped.

The gesture was construed as a signal of the frosty relations between the two that has been simmering ahead to the August General Election.