NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 7 – NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 7 – Deputy President William Ruto has broken his uncharacteristic silence and warned Jubilee Party leaders to avoid what he described as ‘useless political debates’ on government appointments and 2022 succession.
Ruto said Jubilee leaders should instead focus on delivering the party’s manifesto which they sold to Kenyans.
“Kenyans, more so jubilee should avoid useless political debates about positions including 2022 and focus single-mindedly on delivering our manifesto voted for by the people while allowing the President the space to perform his constitutional duty to assemble the team for us,” he said.
His remark follows intense debate on reasons why he skipped the Friday media conference at State House where President Uhuru Kenyatta announced part e of his cabinet.
Some have claimed he was unhappy with the list drawn by the President’s side due to its implications in his planned bid to succeed President Kenyatta.
He is reported to be uncomfortable with plans by the President to appoint former President Daniel arap Moi’s son Gideon to the cabinet because he is largely seen as his competitor in taking over once Kenyatta’s second and final term comes to an end.
In a newspaper article, Moses Kuria told the Kalenjin community that Mt Kenya region will not betray Ruto come 2022 when he will be seeking the mandate of Kenyans to take over the mantle from President Kenyatta whose second term will be coming to an end.
Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu decided to respond to Kuria in a Facebook Post where he said that in 2022, his vote will not depend on betrayal or paying debts since there’s no such thing in politics.
“Oh … & nobody is or has ever been supported for the presidency of any country anywhere on earth, ‘unconditionally’,” he wrote.
The post sparked a huge debate on the update but also spilled over on Sunday with Kuria taking advantage of Ngunjiri’s presence in Imani PCEA in Nyeri to respond to him where he reiterated that the community will stand with the Deputy President because of his track record.
“Mt Kenya will support Ruto not because we are coerced but his track record speaks for him. He was also loyal by the side of our son when other people wanted him jailed in the Hague,” Kuria said.
Since President Kenyatta named his partial cabinet, debate has raged on with some alluding to an internal cold war between the DP’s faction who might not be happy with the appointments made by the President.
After Ruto tweeted his rebuke, Ngunjiri responded by saying he completely agrees with the Deputy President.
“As Nyeri MP I am 100% committed to doing everything I can to deliver on the Jubilee Manifesto in Parliament, and at local level in Nyeri Town Constituency. That is what I was elected to do. Issues 2022 we will deal with when we get there,” he wrote.
Taking a swipe at Kuria, he added that “I hope all those who have been going around purporting to speak on behalf of others, about how we will vote and who we will vote for in 2022, have taken note.”
-capitalfm.co.ke
