While it is obvious the UhuRuto marriage is not a happy one, Deputy President William Ruto (pictured) has come out to term the recent ongoings and reports of a rift as ‘paid-for propaganda nonsense’.
In a tweet on Saturday morning, the Tangatanga wing leader played down questions raised on his apparent absence.
The latest occurrence was on Thursday, when the DP was a no-show at State House, Mombasa, when President Uhuru Kenyatta met security chiefs.
Sources indicated Ruto was at the Coast but missed the meeting between Uhuru and 24 governors.
But Ruto denied it, saying ” I was in the office the whole day never in Mombasa.”
https://twitter.com/WilliamsRuto/status/1218434201558683648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The rift in Jubilee started widening after the March 9 Handshake, when Uhuru signed a deal with Opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The previous bromance between Uhuru and Ruto has since faced hurdle after another.
Following the unity deal and the developing Jubilee cracks, Kieleweke and Tangatanga tendrils began to sprout, with politicians taking sides, pledging loyalty.
It is unclear whether Ruto’s woes are strengthening his political muscle or hurting his 2022 ambitions.
A week ago, Ruto was locked out of his official residence in Mombasa, which is just metres away from State House. This came days after he was denied clearance to fly straight to Mombasa from Botswana to meet the President.
But Ruto insists his road to the presidency in 2022 is clear.
Addressing a crowd while heading to the Kericho Golf Club last October, Dr Ruto said, “Don’t worry. Everything is on course. I have done all there is to be done. Things are good for me at the national level. It is upon you to have faith in me.”
The UhuRuto rift has sucked in Ruto’s footsoldiers, ranging from being denied access, getting sacked and/or being demoted.
In his latest Cabinet reshuffle, where the DP was not in attendance, Uhuru sacked Mwangi Kiunjuri as the Agriculture CS.
Going by the challenges experienced in the docket during Kiunjuri’s tenure, one would say his sacking was expected, however, being Ruto’s strong supporter may have inked the pen.
On Tuesday, Tangatanga politicians were denied access to an Uhuru event in Nakuru, yet another perk of being pro-Ruto.
Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria and Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika were blocked from entering the Rift Valley Regional Headquarters Grounds.
Kihika said, “I am utterly shocked. Why would I be barred from a function being graced by my President at my home county?”
Challenges or not, the DP’s popularity in Mt Kenya is growing.
Rift or no rift, his plan for 2022 seems on course, the only thorn in his flesh may be calls for a referendum and the BBI, which he says has been hijacked to craft ODM’s 2022 political line up.
Credit: Source link