President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto’s shadow boxing has erupted into a full-blown war of words and threats, with Ruto telling the President to do anything to him as long as he does not kill his children.
“Mr. President, wacha kijifanya saa hizi sijui unajifanya nini. Eti sasa wewe anaanza kunithreaten mimi. Ati utanifanya nini. Bora usiuwe watoto wangu. Lakini mimi na were, tuheshimiane, tafadhali,” Ruto said angrily wagging his index finger at the camera directed at the President, while at a rally in Kapsabet, one of his stronghold town in the Rift Valley (Translation: Mr. President, stop threatening me. Just don’t kill my kids. But me and you should respect each other)
Kitui governor and one of Azimio la Umoja principals Charity Ngilu described Ruto as being on a self destructive path.
“When the gods want to destroy you, they first make you angry and then mad,” Ngilu said in a tweet.
When the gods want to destroy you, they first make you angry and then mad. pic.twitter.com/bX2GAQVhtK
— Charity Ngilu (@mamangilu) July 29, 2022
Nobody could imagine it possible there’d come a time when Kenyatta and Ruto would no longer see eye-to-eye. In 2017, the two looked like newlyweds who had experienced a thriving love affair consummated with their acquittal from charges of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Bora usiuwe watoto wangu,” Deputy President William Ruto to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
On Friday, Ruto lashed out at his boss and told him never to mention his name when campaigning for his handshake partner and Azimio la Umoja flagbearer Raila Odinga.
While drumming up support for his presidency in Kapsabet, Ruto said that he was okay if Uhuru didn’t support him in the upcoming elections.
“I am telling you, the President of Kenya, please, Mr. President, You shouldn’t be the source of threats in Kenya. Your duty is to ensure every Kenyan is safe. Stop telling us we will know you are the President. It is us who elected you to be the President of this country. Stop intimidating us. We can’t be intimidated,” Ruto said.
The DP did not reveal how the President had been threatening him. He said he supported Uhuru Kenyatta during his times of need, but he has befriended someone who caused trouble for him (Uhuru) and Kenya.
“I am telling my friend, Mr. Kenyatta, please, when you wanted people who support you, we supported you to the man. That Kitendawili (referring to Raila) you are forcing on us now, that is a man who caused trouble to you and Kenya,” continued Ruto.
FRIENDSHIP UNDERMINED BY HANDSHAKE
Ruto further urged the President to stop mentioning his name if he didn’t want to support his bid. He accused the President of abandoning him during his time of need, yet he was there for him in the last two general elections.
“I was there when you needed me, don’t pretend,” he added. Ruto also said that he is not fazed so long as Uhuru doesn’t target any of his family members. “My president, let’s respect each other,” he declared amidst a cheering crowd chanting his name.
Ruto also told Kenyatta he would ensure his peaceful retirement while he runs this country the best way possible.
Uhuru Kenyatta has also been trying to flex his muscles, resorting to a clap back, criticizing Ruto over his remarks. Recently, he accused his deputy of being a liar and politicizing Standard gauge Railway (SGR) project decisions for political mileage.
During his campaigns, Ruto is heard telling residents that Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration changed the initial plan of building an industrial city in Naivasha and put an inland container depot, a move that he said weakened the Mombasa port and led to the loss of jobs.
While addressing the residents of Nakuru, Uhuru said he couldn’t tolerate a liar. He said Kenya needs a development-oriented leader who can use available projects to improve the lives of Kenyans.
“One cannot say they are great leaders, yet when they come here, they say, ‘as a government, we love the people of Nakuru; this is the reason we installed an inland container depot.’ “But when he goes to Mombasa, he tells the residents, ‘they (Uhuru Kenyatta’s officials) have moved port operations from Mombasa to Naivasha. If you elect me, I will restore the port activities,” Kenyatta said.
He also accused Ruto of lying that Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) was created to extend his (Uhuru) term and lock Ruto out of his presidential bid.
“One cannot say they are great leaders, yet when they come here, they say, ‘as a government, we love the people of Nakuru; this is the reason we installed an inland container depot.’ “But when he goes to Mombasa, he tells the residents, ‘they (Uhuru Kenyatta’s officials) have moved port operations from Mombasa to Naivasha. If you elect me, I will restore the port activities,” Kenyatta said.
The political bare-knuckles street fight between the Head of State and Ruto has intensified over the past month amidst stories a fortnight ago that claimed that Ruto wanted to slap Uhuru Kenyatta. Viral audio captured Ruto saying he was tempted to slap the President because he considered stepping down from the presidency after the court nullified their election, citing irregularities.
The President days later responded that he had committed no mistake in trying to give up on the elections. He didn’t want more bloodshed, and had Ruto slapped him; he would turn the other cheek.
While also addressing residents of Nakuru on July 27, during the opening of Nakuru Railway Station, he said some people (referring to Ruto) have been insulting me and including my mother, but work must continue while doing the right thing.
At the center of this verbal war are succession politics, the performance of the Jubilee government, and a blame game for betrayal from each side.
The Kenyan general election is scheduled for August 9.