Allies of President Uhuru Kenyatta have expressed concern over an emerging trend where Deputy President William Ruto makes scathing attacks against his boss outside Mt Kenya region while playing the loyal deputy card when campaigning in Mr Kenyatta’s backyard.
During his frequent tours of Central Kenya, Dr Ruto strategically casts himself as a subservient follower of the President, presumably so as not to antagonise the Head of State’s supporters while still enchanting his ‘Hustler’ supporters in the region.
Once he steps outside the Mountain region, however, Dr Ruto and his allies start firing from the four barrels.
Recently while in Mombasa, the DP spoke about matapeli (tricksters), in reference to his past support for President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga, which he implied was yet to be reciprocated.
And in Kajiado last week, two of the DP’s close allies – Garissa Township MP Aden Duale and Mathira MP Rigathe Gachagua – launched a brazen attack on the President, daring him to come after the DP instead of making generalised references to “thieves”.
However, whenever Dr Ruto ventures into Mt Kenya, there seems to be an unwritten code, even among his fiercest allies, to watch their words.
Praises for the President
Yesterday while touring Murang’a and Kiambu counties, Dr Ruto was full of praise for the President, assuring him of “maximum peace, security and progression of his good legacy”.
Dr Ruto said he is not apologetic that his partnership with the President has seen the Jubilee administration achieve so much in five years, “until we received visitors who came and bewitched our development cause”.
He said the President had served the Mt Kenya region very well by building roads, connecting residents to water and electricity as well as ensuring vocational training institutes are built and fees subsidised.
“Under President Kenyatta I have learnt a lot and I aspire to inherit his track record and build on it while improving it to encompass new horizons. I guarantee the President that his space and legacy is well protected and he will remain my friend as we take over, God-willing,” Dr Ruto said.
In Juja, DP Ruto regretted the collapse of the Jubilee Party even as he promised if elected president, his government will set a Sh100 billion special fund for the youth.
The DP said the collapse of Jubilee Party forced him to form UDA. “Don’t bother us with Jubilee Party; you allowed Raila Odinga to mess it up,’’ Dr Ruto said.
The DP spoke at Theta ward in Juja constituency where area MP George Koimburi hosted him to celebrate his election to Parliament during a by-election in May.
Mr Koimburi, who vied on a People’s Empowerment Party ticket, defeated the ruling party’s candidate.
While the strategy of softening their words within the Mt Kenya region might have worked for Dr Ruto’s allies, it has sparked concerns among the President’s loyalists.
“While outside the Mt Kenya region, they portray the President as a near monster who is not worthy of respect and following both in Mt Kenya and the country at large,” former Maragua MP Elias Mbau said.
He was speaking in Kaharo village, Murang’a County, during the burial of his mother, shortly after reading a message of condolence from former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth.
“We in the handshake formation disapprove of Dr Ruto’s deceit while dealing with our President,” he added.
For his part, Mr Kenneth urged residents of Mt Kenya region to remain steadfast behind the President and avoid formations that thrive on deceit, lies and tokenism.
