Kisumu residents dismissed Uhuru Kenyatta’s move to appoint William Ruto as the acting president.
Through the Kisumu City Residence Voice, they described the move as a mere political gimmick aimed at appeasing the people of Rift Valley.
“It is a strategy to woo the already rebellious Rift Valley block. The president simply wants to compromise the political mood in the country,” the group’s chairman Audi Ogada said.
Ogada said Kenyatta wants to appease the people of Rift Valley so that they do not focus on Cord’s referendum push as a united block.
Former Gem Parliamentary candidate Elisha Odhiambo however said on Tuesday that Kenyatta, by ceding his powers, indicated that he wanted to appear before the ICC as “Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and not as the President.”
“Uhuru is facing charges as an individual hence his move to delegate state duties to his deputy is welcome,” said Odhiambo.
Ruto has been facing criticism from Council of Governors chairman Isaac Rutto who hails from the Rift Valley region.
The Bomet Governor cautioned Ruto against continuous demands for accountability by county CEOs.
“Ruto has no moral authority to demand accountability from anyone because he has too many cases,” he said during a fund raiser in Kisumu on Saturday.
Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale during the fundraiser on Saturday had asked President Uhuru to excuse Kenyans from his ICC case, terming it a personal matter.
“The President should treat the case as his personal problem like he promised the nation during a televised presidential candidates’ debate in the run-up to the last general elections,” Khalwale said.
Khalwale said the president should not hold the country hostage when attending the cases. He also noted that Kenyatta’s ICC charge sheet does not indicate that he is being charged as the President of Kenya but as an individual.
“He (Uhuru) should go to the Hague as the Uhuru Kenyatta accused of crimes against humanity,” said Khalwale.
He dismissed claims that there might be a void if the president and his deputy are found guilty to the crimes they have been accused of.
“There is no vacuum because the constitution is clear. If the two are jailed, the speaker will take charge for a period of 60 days then we hold elections,” Khalwale said.
Source- the-star.co.ke
Kisumu residents dismiss ‘President William Ruto’
