The war of words between Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga escalated yesterday with the second in command asking the former premier to take responsibility for the failures of the Jubilee government since he is now part of it.
Dr Ruto accused Mr Odinga of derailing the government from its development agenda the moment he settled on a truce with his boss Uhuru Kenyatta through the March 2018 handshake after the fiercely contested presidential election of 2017.
“You came and changed the government’s priorities from the Big Four agenda to alternative ones like the Building Bridges Initiative. Now, after you have failed miserably, you want to run away,” the DP charged.
Dr Ruto said that when Jubilee is finally put on the weighing scale to gauge its failures and successes, Mr Odinga must have his equal share of blame and asked Kenyans to hold him to account.
“They pushed their way into government and took over the running of government. Three years down the line since they have failed miserably, they now want to run away from their own failure. Please, you must carry your failure. You cannot run away from it. Have some decency. Be gentlemen enough and accept that you have caused the country monumental failure,” he said while hosting ward representatives from the Northeastern region.
But Mr Odinga fired back in what will likely shape the political landscape this year, calling the DP a “shameless and serial liar,” who should not be allowed anywhere near the State House and public coffers.
“No, Mr Six months! The youngsters you promised laptops eight years ago are now old enough to see through your lies. The youth you promised eight million jobs in eight years can see through the wheelbarrow lie you are now peddling. It has been eight years Mr Six months and not three years. Kenyans are intelligent enough to spot monumental failure a kilometre away,” Mr Odinga tweeted.
In his campaign tours on Thursday in Nairobi, Mr Odinga accused Jubilee administration of reneging on its promises and blamed the DP for pursing personal ambition since day one of being elected instead of helping the president.
“They said they would give every child a laptop within six months on getting elected. It is now eight years and the pupils who were to benefit from the program are now finishing primary school without ever seeing them. How should the country now entrust such a liar as Ruto to lead to new frontiers of development?” Mr Odinga posed in Kangemi attracting the wrath of the DP.
The DP further said that he was not going to drop the Hustler Nation slogan which has attracted condemnation for the handshake coalition.
“Let me also tell those who want to criminalise and bastardise our debate about hustlers, the mama mboga, boda boda and all those others. The discussion we are having is not about the rich and the poor, it is about getting everybody on the table. It is about empowerment yet the rest want to talk about power and individuals,” the DP said.
A number of politicians, including President Kenyatta, Mr Odinga and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka have accused the DP of trying to instigate class wars through the narrative.
The President has warned of the line of campaigning and told his aides that inciting the poor against the rich would be a recipe for violence.
He argued that even if he were elected, the DP may not tame the monster he will have created.
The battle line has been drawn, with the DP and Mr Odinga as the leading contenders in the Kenyatta succession even though the former prime minister is yet to declare the intent to run.
Meanwhile Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka yesterday asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to open an inquiry into remarks the Deputy President made against him, saying they were defamatory and amounted to incitement.
Mr Musyoka gave the police three weeks to conclude the investigations and charge the DP with inciting Kenyans to violence, abuse of office and uttering words designed to cause disaffection and hatred.
The Wiper boss was at the DCI headquarters where he had gone to lodge complaints against the DP. He was accompanied by Senate Minority Leader James Orengo, Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr and other lawyers.
“We have come to make formal complaints against Deputy President Ruto. Under the Constitution, no one in the Republic of Kenya who is above the law,” Mr Orengo said. “He must comply with the law as stated in the Constitution.”
According to Mr Musyoka and the group, a leader does not live by the law and respect the law of the land, then they do not deserve any respect and should meet the full force of the law.
“If you distinguish yourself as the Deputy President and in obedience with the oath of office, you must obey the law of the land,” said Mr Orengo, a Senior Counsel.
“You are not allowed to defame any person in this country on the basis of falsehoods and lies as stated in the Penal Code,” Mr Orengo said.
DP Ruto was accused of adopting the tactics of former US President Donald Trump, whose actions sent his supporters to insurrection and broke into the Capitol two weeks ago.
“The Deputy President is a Trumpian character. Every person with Trumpian character is likely to be having characteristics of a fascist because they are bent on causing divisions,” Mr Orengo said.
They further accused the DP of being behind threats issued by some leaders in Kitui against the Wiper leader and Makueni Senator, who were warned against setting foot in the Rift Valley allegedly for insulting the DP.
