Deputy President William Ruto yesterday hit out at Nasa leader Raila Odinga accusing him of scheming to have him kicked out of Jubilee.
He said Raila and his troops used the handshake to warm themselves into the heart of Jubilee but now want to wreck the party.
“I was in ODM before and they kicked me out and they took me to court, the same way they have summoned MPs Aisha Jumwa (Malindi) and Suleiman Dori (Msambweni). I want to tell you here today that you cannot kick me out of ODM and then follow me to Jubilee to do the same, it is impossible,” he said.
(Ruto voluntarily quit ODM in the lead up the 2013 General Election and formed his United Republican Party which later formed a coalition with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s TNA in early 2013 ).
The DP accused the ODM chiefs of peddling rumours and propaganda to create confusion in Jubilee and portray him as a stumbling block in the handshake.
He told Raila not to use the handshake with President Kenyatta to create chaos in Jubilee.
Speaking at Majaoni in Kisauni constituency, Mombasa county, where he handed out 3,000 title deed, Ruto said he is aware of what the deal between President Kenyatta and ODM party leader Raila entails.
“We know what the handshake deal is, but we are very clear what it is not. Therefore, do not bring confusion,” he said.
He went on: “The handshake is not a licence to allow ODM to bring confusion, propaganda and conmanship into our party.”
Ruto said after last year’s repeat presidential polls, Jubilee called on the opposition leaders to work together with government and build the country and later Raila and Kenyatta decided to take the cooperation a notch higher and signed the March 9 deal this year.
The DP, who insiders say feels frustrated with the new found camaraderie between Uhuru and Raila did not mince his words.
“We are very clear about where we are going. We have led governments; therefore, our brothers should not try and interfere with us. If they think they will break the government, let me warn them that we are very alert and we know their plans,” he said.
Ruto has been on a four-day tour of the Coast and has visited Tana River, Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa and Taita Taveta counties which were ODM strongholds in last year’s polls.
“There is a shortage of stupid people in Kenya nowadays, if they were able to succeed in lying to Kenyans during Kanu, Cord and NASA days, then you have no space to lie in Jubilee, my friend,” said the DP who was with renegade ODM MPs.
“They are claiming that they will break Jubilee, they are day dreaming. I want to categorically state that we have no space for gossip, propaganda and conmanship into our party and in our government” said Ruto.
He said plans to use the handshake to wreck Jubilee will not work.
Dori and Jumwa, who spoke before Ruto said they will not be cowed by the summonses issued by their ODM party and they will continue to work with the Deputy President.
“There is a big difference between leaders and dealers. We need to differentiate the two. If working with Ruto so that my people can get title deeds is a sin, then I’m ready to sacrifice,” Jumwa said.
The outspoken Malindi MP accused the Raila-led party of dividing Jubilee with the handshake.
“The Building the Bridges initiative was meant to bring all of us together, why was Ruto left out then. We want everyone on board and this is not playing politics,” she said.
Dori, who is the chairperson of Coast Parliamentary Group, said they voted against the Finance Bill 2018 to protect their voters from extortionate taxes
“I want to tell my brother Junet (Mohammed) that those who opposed the Bill in Parliament were not sent by DP Ruto. We made that decision because of the Kenyans who voted for us, therefore he should stop threatening us because we will not be cowed,” said Dori.
Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo, who was elected on a Wiper ticket and on whose backyard the event took place, declared that he will support Ruto in 2022.
“I will be Ruto’s soldier in Mombasa. Even if it means sacrificing my political career for your presidency, so be it,” said Mbogo.
Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya said political parties do not bring about development in a region, but good leaders do.
“We should not elect parties, but focused leaders who are development oriented,” he said.
Those who had accompanied Ruto were Kilifi Women representative Getrude Mbeyu and Gideon Mungaro, the Lands Chief Administrative Secretary.
MPs Benjamin Tayari, (Kinango), Mohammed Ali (Nyali), Ali Wario (Garsen) Jones Mlolwa (Voi), Shariff Athman (Lamu East), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga) and Michael Kingi (Magarini) among others. Reacting, Raila’s allies told Ruto off and the Coast MPs saying the handshake helped to cool down political temperatures.
Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi accused Ruto of being behind problems the opposition is facing.
“He (Ruto) sponsored the noise making in parliament to reject President Uhuru Kenyatta’s memorandum on the Finance Bill, 2018. Even the move to oust Mbadi is Ruto driven , it is part of larger plan by Ruto to destabilise ODM party,” he said.
Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga, blamed Ruto’s wing for causing confusion in government.
“The good faith displayed by Raila has been seen since the handshake, he has remained committed even in cases which appear unpopular like Finance Bill,” she said.
ODM secretary Edwin Sifuna said Raila is only helping Uhuru achieve his development agenda and the war on corruption.
