Ruto: How Uhuru dumped me after the 2017 elections

Deputy President William Ruto has, in the clearest indication yet, admitted that President Uhuru Kenyatta no longer takes his advice over running of government.

Dr Ruto said that after the 2017 General Election, President Kenyatta insulated himself with a new crop of advisers on a myriad of social-economic and political issues in the country including succession battle.

The DP said he had asked for evidence where he had disrespected the president.

"It is unfortunate that I have been humiliated as a Deputy President and branded as insubordinating the President. It reached an extent that I had a sitting with the President and the Director General of National Intelligence Service where I demanded for evidence on the same to be produced and there was none," he said in the no holds barred interview.

"It is unfortunate that this happened and given an opportunity to be President, I would not allow my Deputy to be humiliated."

However, Dr Ruto said President Kenyatta remains his best friend “having done many things together".

He claimed there has been a series of attempts to have him resign as DP including budgetary cuts to his office and disciplinary action targeted at his allies in Jubilee. But the deputy president added that he will stick with the ruling party to the end.

In an interview on Citizen TV, the DP said that should Jubilee party leadership push him out ahead of the next General Election, he will take refuge in UDA party, which is an affiliate of Jubilee.

Challenges

“It is in the public domain that I have challenges working with my boss. We worked as a pair in 2017 and conducted government business together,” said Dr Ruto.

He added: “Even if he does not support me for the presidency in the 2022 General Election, I will take no offence.”

During the Thursday night interview, Dr Ruto said President Kenyatta changed his mode of operation in government after the last elections in a manner that completely altered the engagement between the former bosom political friends-turned-foes.

“I have been very forthright and honest with my advice to the President. I have not had any problem when the advice has not been taken… I have respect for the institution of the presidency as it is the prerogative of the President, to change his style of leadership,” said Dr Ruto.

Dr Ruto said that he was elected alongside President Kenyatta in the last General Election by more than eight million Kenyan voters, yet Jubilee mandarins including the party’s secretary-general Raphael Tuju and vice chairman David Murathe undermined him.

“It became problematic to some people in Jubilee when I started launching government projects. But they forgot that I had not changed my approach since 2013 and the President knew my style (of politics),” said Dr Ruto.

He said that the onslaught against him by Mr Murathe and Mr Tuju was meant to kick him out of the party and government and that he will not dignify it with a resignation as many expected.

At the same time, the DP claimed that he was side-lined when President Kenyatta took a free Covid-19 vaccination jab, subsequently forcing him (Dr Ruto) to take one privately.

Dr Ruto said he has mobilised 10,000 of his friends and supporters to take the Covid-19 vaccination across the country.

“Perhaps a secretary or someone else forgot to invite me when President Kenyatta took his vaccine. We need to ensure that the majority of Kenyans are vaccinated free of charge, but at the same time allow the private sector to play their role in the vaccination drive,” said Dr Ruto.